


Someday

by JayceCarter



Series: Finn and Nora [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Smut, Spoilers, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-10-18 16:34:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 32,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10620822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayceCarter/pseuds/JayceCarter
Summary: Finn said they might meet again someday. Nora had no idea someday would happen when she walked into Nuka World and became Overboss. Can Finn and Nora fix what they had before, or will they end up making the same mistakes that almost destroyed them the first time?**This is part two from Insurance Money**





	1. Chapter 1

Nora kicked Coulter’s dead body. The metal of his power armor meant the kick fucking hurt, vibrating up the bones of her leg, but she only stepped back and did it again.

 

After running the whole damned gauntlet, Nora wanted to kill him a second time. She wanted more time to tear him apart, slowly, to really enjoy it. The over confident asshole had been so sure he’d win, though he’d rigged the fight so of course he expected to win. Nora only wished she’d gotten to see his face when he realized shit was going bad.

 

Gage’s voice over the intercom washed over her, but she ignored it. She didn’t care about him, about his plans, about what he wanted. Sure, he’d helped her, but she got the sense he did it for his own reasons. Raiders weren’t the type to do shit for anyone else. Nora only wanted to tear apart the dead man on the floor.

 

Hands closed around her arms, yanking her back. “Come on, Nora. Take it easy. I think he’s done for.”

 

Nora kicked once more before MacCready got her moving toward the room where Gage stood.

 

Her chest pounded from the fight, adrenaline pumping through her body, swear causing her hair to stick to her neck. Truth be told, she hadn’t had a good fight in a while. That was the problem with getting too big, with getting the things you wanted, everything got too easy.

 

The Minutemen had a presence all across the commonwealth, all coordinated from The Castle. They’d set up settlements, created havens for the people, reined in the raiders, the Gunners. Few things could stand against them, a true force of good.

 

She’d blown the Institute to hell, along with her son. She’d torn the Prydwen from the sky and slaughtered the Brotherhood. All her enemies laid dead, most forgotten now.

 

The railroad crawled along in the shadows, as they always did, helping synths but without needing to hide from anyone. Not that they didn’t hide, she guessed old habits die hard.

 

And Nora tried to keep busy, mostly. Clear the occasional feral infestation, deal with super mutants, build extra beds. It all felt like a boring ending to what had been such an interesting life. She feared, sometimes, that her best days were behind her. She imagined fading away to nothing beneath a pile of monotony. That was, until she’d received the message from Nuka World and got the sense of a new game, a new dragon to slay.

 

Anything to get her out of her job as resident settlement helper.

 

And fuck Coulter, the sadistic bastard, for putting people through that Gauntlet. They’d passed bodies, all those who’d never even made it to the last battle. With how she’d been roped into it, she could only imagine the ill-prepared settlers and traders who had been tricked in trap. She and MacCready had torn it to bits, then given him the same treatment. If only she’d known about it sooner, she could have saved some of the poor bastards who had come before her.

 

“Meet me at Fizztop Mountain, and I’ll give you the details.”

 

Nora got her first look at Gage, the man who’d orchestrated the whole thing. He had a mohawk and a yellow eyepatch to go along with the stupid looking yellow armor. She wasn’t sure how a few pieces of metal kept anyone alive, but that wasn’t her problem.

 

The man wasn’t much for subtly, and she sure as hell didn’t trust him.

 

“Keep your gun close,” Nora whispered as MacCready followed her out of the arena.

 

“I always do, boss.”

 

He did, which was exactly why Nora always kept him. You couldn’t buy better help. He did what he was told, didn’t judge her too much, and had no desire to sleep with her. She had low standards, and that made them good friends.

 

After the mess with Deacon, who had never gotten over their last fight, Nora had had enough love life drama. They’d made up, for the most part, but never became close again. Too much pain, too much shame on both sides. And damn, she still missed him. She missed his easy smile, his lies, the way he made stupid jokes in the middle of a fight.

 

But you can’t go back, and they’d screwed their friendship up too much to get back from.

 

And love was the last thing she needed to deal with. If she were truthful, she wasn’t sure she had any of it left. After Nate died, she’d sworn off men. Then Finn had come, and he’d stolen anything else she had left. Five years and she hadn’t heard a peep from him. Hell, she thought he likely got himself killed heading east.

 

But, the romantic in her would imagine him living the good life. A farm, a house, a white picket fence. He’d be happy, at peace. Fuck, she wanted that for him, even if she wasn’t a part of it.

 

Nora shoved the line of thought away. Fuck love. She’d had her fill of it.

 

“Great, heights, love heights,” muttered MacCready as they took the lift up to Fizztop Mountain. “Go to Nuka World, it’ll be fun, you said. Last time I ever believe you.”

 

“Liar; I never said it would be fun.” Nora stuck her tongue out at him like a child. “Besides, you’d follow me anywhere.”

 

Mac rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, because what was the point? He’d stuck around this long, he wasn’t going anywhere. Nora had helped him cure Duncan, gave him work, caps, a place to crash. You couldn’t ask for better out there.

 

When the lift reached the top, Nora stepped off, Mac behind her. At least the view was nice, she guessed. Being Overboss has its benefits if the quarters were any indication. Spacious, a little too raider-décor for her, but hell, it could be worse. At least it lacked sacks of meat or people hung on hooks.

 

She sighed. When had her standards gotten so low? 

 

Gage stood by the bar, another man with his back to her at the far side of the quarters.

 

The unidentified man turned, and Nora gasped. 

 

"Hey there, sweetheart." Finn gave her an unfriendly smile.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Nora’s chest hollowed as she stared, her stomach somewhere in her shoes.

 

He hadn’t changed much. Five years was a long time, but he looked exactly like she remembered. He even wore a similar jacket, cigarette hanging from his lips. Hell, she half expected him to try and shake her down for money.

 

And she’d give him nothing and hope for a repeat of the last time.

 

“Finn,” she whispered.

 

“Well, if it isn’t our new Overboss.” He crossed his arms, aloof and seeming in no big hurry to run over and embrace her.

 

And wasn’t that the kick that got her head back in the game? She wasn’t somewhere safe, couldn’t whisper sweet nothings like teenagers. She stood in the middle of a theme park full of raiders, this wasn’t the sort of place to let her guard down.

 

“You two know each other?” Gage gazed between the two of them, suspicion coloring his features. Well, he might look like an idiot but that gaze said he didn’t miss much.

 

“I told you I came from Goodneighbor. Met the Overboss there a few times.”

 

“Right.” Nora couldn’t tear her eyes away from the one man she’d wanted to see for the last five years, the one who haunted her dreams, the one she secretly thought would walk in any door that opened. Her hand closed with want to grab him, to make sure this wasn’t some sick dream she’d wake up from. “What are you doing here?”

 

Finn shrugged. “Been working with the gangs here as a go between. They don’t play nice, and I help keep the snapping between ‘em to a minimum.”

 

“Did you help Coulter into his grave, too?”

 

“Less than you helped him there, I’d guess, Overboss.” He sneered the name.

 

“Well-“ Gage started, but Nora didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to hear shit from the grand orchestrator right then.

 

“Would you give us a minute, Gage? You too, Mac. Go check out the market, would you?”

 

Both men left without an argument, leaving Nora and Finn together.

 

For the first time in five years.

 

#

 

“So you’ve been here?” What a stupid thing to say. Of course, what else did you say to the man who you loved and had left you?

 

Finn had come no closer, leaning against the railing, face distant. “I told you I was going west. This is where I came.”

 

“So fucking close, huh? I looked, but I guess I never thought to check out a theme park.” Nora went to the bar and reached over to grab a bottle of whiskey. This was the sort of shock that required alcohol, and strong shit at that. She sat on the bar stool and turned back to face Finn, who had yet to move.

 

“I heard what happened with the Institute. Nice work.”

 

She laughed and took a gulp, savoring the burn. Better a burn from alcohol than whatever flips her stomach was doing. “Did you hear about the Prydwen? That was a hell of a sight. The thing crash into the airport in flames.”

 

He finally offered a kind smile. “I wish I could have seen it. Bet it looked fantastic.”

 

“You could have. It was you who ran away, not me.”

 

“No need to dig up old wounds, is there? It was a long time ago.”

 

But right then, it didn’t feel so long, not to Nora. All the new scars, the years, they didn’t feel real. She felt like that same girl who’d been smitten with him, who had drowned in him. If she was honest, she’d never really moved on. Never gotten over him. Not that she planned to let him know that.

 

The asshole already knew how much she wanted him, no need to increase her shame anymore.

 

“You didn’t look surprised when I walked in.” Nora held out the bottle.

 

He shook his head, but she bet it was only because he didn’t want to get any closer. “I wasn’t. I heard some little spit of a vault dweller put down Coulter, and I knew it was you. Not many other vault dweller hellions who could manage that.”

 

Nora grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear. “He wasn’t too tough. Hell, the gauntlet wasn’t any worse than trying to get through the Third Rail without getting groped.”

 

“Can’t say anyone ever groped me in the Third Rail.”

 

“We both know that’s a lie. Hancock gropes everyone after he does mentats.”

 

They both laughed, an ease that was nothing of their past. They’d never been easy, never been people to laugh together. Their past was all pain and anger and bad decisions. Nothing but two people tearing each other apart, but fuck, she missed it.

 

Still, their past wasn’t up for discussion from Finn, so she focused on the present. “So what can you tell me about this place?”

 

“I can tell you that you might want to quit while you’re ahead, and breathing. This place is ugly.”

 

“I’ve seen ugly. I’ve lived in little else since I got out of that vault. Ugly isn’t new to me.”

 

“This is raider ugly, and that is new to you.” He paused, looking away. “So you’re traveling with MacCready, now?”

 

“For a few years. He’s a good shot.” Nora wanted to tell Finn there was nothing between them, but she didn’t. It sounded desperate, offering information no one asked for, information it seemed he didn’t really want. She could just imagine the way he’d give her that look, all pity for the woman he’d thrown away and didn’t want back.

 

“Yeah, he always was a good shot. How’s pretty boy been?”

 

“Wouldn’t know. He never really forgave me after, well, you know.”

 

“Damn. He holds his grudges, doesn’t he?”

 

Nora cocked up an eyebrow. “And you don’t?”

 

“This wasn’t a grudge, sweetheart. It was doing the right thing for once in my damn life. So why don’t you help me out and head back before you get yourself killed, or worse.”

 

“Worse?”

 

He turned around and walked to the lift, and Nora thought he might not stop, might not answer.

 

She repeated her question. “What’s worse than getting killed?”

 

At the lift, he hit the button and looked over his shoulder. “You might end up in my bed again.”


	3. Chapter 3

 

Nora took a deep breath.

 

“Head up, Boss. You’ve got this.” Mac’s voice floated forward from his spot, always behind her. Fuck, she was glad to have him. No matter how overwhelming this all felt, he steadied her. He thought she could do it, and he didn’t bet on someone he didn’t think could manage. Mac was the sort who would jump ship, first.

 

“Right. Any advice?”

 

“Raiders are like undisciplined gunners, and I’ve had more than my share of dealings with them. Don’t show fear. Act like you know what you’re doing, even when you don’t, and don’t be afraid to make a point by spilling some blood. Got it?”

 

Gage had told her about the same, but she didn’t much feel like trusting Gage. There was something about a man who stood behind other men that bothered her. It showed a lack of backbone, and she hated people without backbones.

 

She’d done a lot of things in her life, not all of them she was proud of, but she’d never stood back and let others take the heat for her.

 

Anyone who did that couldn’t be trusted.

 

So even though Gage had offered to go with her, she’d opted for Mac. You don’t wander around dangerous territory without a gun at your back you can trust. For all his flaws, she trusted Mac with her life.

 

She’d already met the gang leaders, and promptly decided the whole group of them were nutjobs. And her saying that meant something. The place was so close to tearing itself apart, a strong wind could start the violence.

 

But, hell, at least they were there, right? If the bastards weren’t in Nuka World, they’d be in the Commonwealth. At least here they only killed each other and not her people. She could live with that.

 

Inside the market, she browsed the stores. At the far end, a trader introduced herself as Mackenzie, the resident doctor.

 

“I’m not Colter,” Nora said.

 

“You don’t have to prove anything to me. If they say you’re the Overboss, you’re the Overboss. But, the thing is. . .” she hesitated, looking around. “You don’t have to do things the way he did.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Well, you could just take out the raiders. You don’t seem like one of them. You came here to help Harvey, even after he told you the truth. You’re a good person, not like them.”

 

“You want me to kill all these raiders? Are you out of your mind?”

 

She shook her head and grabbed Nora’s hand. “No. Just take out the leaders of the three gangs and the rest would scatter. It wouldn’t be that hard, not for someone like you.”

 

“Saying things like that will get you killed, Kenzie,” Finn said, walking up from behind Nora.

 

Mackenzie’s eyes widened and she snatched her hand back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

 

“Course not. You’re too smart to make that mistake twice though, right?”

 

She nodded. “Right. Yeah, you’re right. I’m just, I’m going to get going.”

 

Nora tuned on Finn, poking him in the chest. “Don’t you frighten her.”

 

“She’s lucky it was me who overheard your little conversation. Anyone else would have strung her up for that sort of talk. The girl needs to remember where she is if she wants to keep breathing.”

 

“You ever talk threaten her again-“

 

“-first of all, I didn’t threaten her. I gave her good damned advice. Secondly, don’t you lecture me. I’ve lived here and dealt with these people a long fucking time. Don’t you walk in here as an expert on how this place works after a couple days, okay?”

 

Nora walked up closer until she was just a breath away. She still had to look up into his face, the curse of being short, she supposed, but she’d grown used to that. “Like it or not, Finn, I’m in charge here. You can get your panties all bunched up over it if you want, but it’s still the way it is, so work on getting use to it.”

 

“Trust me, Nora, you’re getting nowhere near my panties.”

 

“You know what? Fuck you, Finn. I don’t have to do this with you.” She turned, but he grabbed her arm.

 

The click of a rifle from behind him had them both stilling. Mac’s voice came across steady. “Hand’s off my boss.”

 

“Right.” Finn let go, lifting his hands. “Go on then, sweetheart.”

 

Nora lifted her head, trying to look in control, as she walked off.

 

“What was that about?” Mac had put his rifle over his shoulder by the time they reached outside. “You two have some history?”

 

“Yeah, and it’s not great.”

  
“That’s obvious. That little face off was all hormones and sexual tension, boss.”

 

“Well, that makes sense, because that’s all we had between us.” She lifted her hand to silence the additional questions he’d no doubt ask her. “It’s over. Happened a long time ago and it won’t happen again.”

 

He snorted and called her a liar with his tone. “Right, boss.”

 

 

#

 

 

Nora walked behind the building to get out of the heat. The world might have ended, but theme parks were still as frustrating to find your way around in.

 

She’d sent Mac off for a break. Things had seemed calm all day, with people watching her. Perhaps killing Colter offered her a bit of leeway, like they  weren’t sure if she was that tough or if it was just a fluke, but they weren’t up for being the one to figure it out.

 

“Hey there, honey.”

 

Nora turned to find two pack members down the alleyway. “Not honey. Overboss.”

 

“Well, that’s what Gage says. Guess we’ll see, won’t we?” They laughed and came closer.

 

Nora wanted to drop her hand to her weapon, but she didn’t. Escalating things didn’t go well. This was probably nothing but posturing, and adding in guns would just end with bullet wounds.

 

“Where’s the kid? Your little bodyguard?”

 

“Around.”

 

“You're a bad liar, honey. Would have thought you were smarter than wandering around alone.”

 

“I can take care of myself just fine. Don’t need a bodyguard. Though, I have to wonder how Mason would feel about this little conversation?”

 

“He’d say that if you can’t keep what you claim you don’t deserve it,” whispered a voice from just behind her.

 

Nora tried to spin, but an arm wrapped around her throat, pulling her back against a hard, male body. The fucking feathery pants told her it was another pack. “You’re going to want to let me go.”

 

“I don’t know. I ain’t never had an Overboss. What about you, boys?”

 

“You’ve had one bitch, you’ve had ‘em all. Some think they’re a little better, but get ‘em naked, they’re all the same.”

 

Nora closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly. Don’t fly off the handle. Think through it. Fear doesn’t do shit. Fear didn’t burn the Brotherhood, fear didn’t destroy the Institute.

 

Lips pressed against her throat, sucking hard enough she knew she’d have a bruise. Still, she remained still, passive. Wait for an opening.

 

“See, they all turn into whores when you take control.”

 

A hand grabbed her chest rough, fingers digging in. Her stomach rolled but she didn’t move. She set her hands on the hips of the man in front of her.

 

“That’s it, darling. No reason this has to be rough. You can enjoy it.”

 

Her fingers brushed the knife at his waist.

 

There we go.

 

She took another breath, then curled her fingers around it. The man it belonged to was too focused on groping her to notice anything else. She smiled, yanked the blade, and slid it up between his ribs.

 

And everything went to hell.

 

Nora was shoved forward, face striking the ground. A kick struck her ribs, but she rolled with it, hand going for her gun. Fuck escalating, she was past trying to end this peacefully. That went out about the time they decided to try to rape her.

 

Nora pulled the pistol up and unloaded a shot into the chest of raider who had held her from behind. The last stood at the end of the alleyway, arms up, eyes wide.

 

 

“I didn’t touch you,” he said.

 

“Not yet, but you picked your side, and it was the wrong damned side.” She shot his arm, far enough to the outside that it wouldn’t hit bone, would pass straight through. He could consider that his fucking gift. “That is your warning. Pick your sides more carefully next time.”

 

He bolted, and Nora dropped her gun, her adrenaline fading and her body starting to complain.

 

And now she got to drag her ass back to Fizztop Mountain, all the while not showing how much she hurt.

 

Wasn’t today just going great?

 

#

 

“Look, I’m sorry.” Finn’s voice crowded Nora in the darkness of her quarters. The sun had already gone down, and Mac hadn’t returned. She figured he was crashing downstairs, giving her some privacy. It was best, he didn’t need to see her bruised up.

 

“Don’t be. It’s fine.”

 

He stilled. “You okay?”

 

“Yep. Peachy-fucking-keen.” She couldn’t hide the soft wheeze and gasp as she moved.

 

And of course, Finn caught it. He came forward until he was just in front of her. He reached in, slow, and hit the flashlight button on her pipboy. “Fucking hell, sweetheart. What happened?”

 

“Nothing. We done here?”

 

“Not even close.” He leaned down, inspecting her face. “Who the hell. . .” his gaze stopped on the hickey on her neck. “Fuck.”

 

“Pretty much. Not really your business anymore, though. You made that clear. So take all your fucking concern and get out.”

 

He knelt down and reached forward, stopping before he made contact with the small bruise. “Can I?”

 

Nora knocked his hand away. “No, you fucking can’t. Get out, Finn.”

 

“Who was it?”

 

“Doesn’t matter. I dealt with it.”

 

“Dead?”

 

“Two in an alleyway.”

 

He nodded. “Good. But you haven’t treated yourself, have you?”

 

“Just get out. Please.” She knew her voice cracked, couldn't help it. Something about him undid all that courage she'd worn like armor. 

 

“No. Not until you’re treated. You think I can’t hear that wheezing shit you’re doing? Fuckers broke a rib, I’m guessing. You can’t reach it to stimpack yourself, and you don’t want to wake up your little friend and have to answer any questions. How am I doing?”

 

“Pretty fucking good.”

 

“So you’ve got two choices, sweetheart. You let me go get MacCready, or you let me handle the stimpack.”

 

And wasn’t that a great end to a really fucking top notch day? Still, Finn had already seen her, already figured this out. She had no real desire to have to repeat anything to Mac, to deal with his guilt over leaving her alone.

 

“Alright. Medkit is behind the bar. And bring alcohol. I need a fucking drink.”


	4. Chapter 4

 

Finn returned with a bottle of vodka and the medkit. He pulled a chair up in front of the couch to sit in. His gaze seemed to be avoiding the bruise at her throat, like he couldn’t look at it, couldn’t handle seeing it.

 

“Lean forward.”

 

Nora winced as she followed the direction, leaning her weight forward, bringing her elbows to rest on her knees.

 

Finn moved her shirt up, his fingers never touching her skin, and used the stimpack on her hip. That area hurt less, though being further from the injury meant it wouldn’t work quite as fast. Once he pulled the needle out, she leaned back, sucking in a deep breath. Fuck, he was right, her rib did hurt.

 

Next, he took a rag and poured some purified water on it.

 

Nora took her first drink of vodka and tilted her head to give him access to her cheek. “Thank you.”

 

“Sure.” His fingers brushed her cheek as he cleaned. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah. Always am, right?”

 

“No. No one is alright all the time. Even you.” He set the items aside then sat back on the chair. “Are you hurt anywhere else?” The words came out slow, measured.

 

Nora shook her head. Yeah, she knew what he was asking without asking. The hickey on her neck let him know what they had planned, he just had no idea how far they might have gotten. “No. They surprised me, it’s the only reason they got the jump on me at all. I’ve got a couple bruises, some cuts, that’s it. Nothing happened. Really, Finn, I’m okay. You can go.”

 

“You shouldn’t be alone.”

 

“Maybe not, but I don’t want to wake Mac up. He worries enough as it is, and he’d beat himself up to know I got hurt while he was off somewhere else. And you sure as fuck don’t want to be here, so don’t worry about it. I’ve spent enough time on my own to be pretty good at it.” Even as she spoke, she hated the idea of him leaving, of sitting in the darkness alone again.

 

“Who said I didn’t want to be here?”

 

She laughed, though it caused her to gasp and hold her side. The stimpack would take a while to fix her rib. “Your face says it each time you look my way. Every time you’ve seen me, you haven’t been able to get away fast enough. Right now, you’re perched on that chair like you might need to leap off to escape me. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do shit to you.”

 

He rubbed his hand over his face, scrubbing like he could erase this shit. “It’s not that I’m not happy to see you. Fuck, sweetheart, I’ve dreamed of you almost every night since I left. Seeing you come up that lift? Nothings ever looked better, like the best jet hallucination ever. But, I left for a reason. You and I make shitty choices together.”

 

“Yeah, but there’s no one I’d rather make shitty choices with.”

 

He gave her a smile, one that said she was charming, but probably also an idiot. “You hungry?”

 

She shook her head. “Just tired. Really, fucking tired.”

 

He nodded. “Yeah, fights’ll do that. Let’s get you into bed, then.” He stood and stepped back, making no move to offer her a hand.

 

Then again, he hadn’t tried to touch her at all, had he?

 

Nora got to her own feet, but stumbled. A mixture of adrenaline, pain, meds, and vodka, she guessed. She’d have hit the floor, but Finn wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her. She leaned into his warmth, into the only stable thing she’d ever really wanted.

 

When she got over to the bed, he twisted her around and settled her back. Nora wrapped her fingers in his shirt and pulled him forward, knuckles going white from the grip.

 

He set his hands on top of hers. “Don’t do this.”

 

“Shut up and kiss me, please.”

 

He pressed his forehead against hers, his breath spilling across her lips, so fucking close, but she refused to close that distance.

 

“Come on, sweetheart. This is a bad idea. Especially because of tonight. You really think digging up our past right after what you went through is a great idea? Fuck, of all the men you shouldn’t kiss tonight, I’m at the top.”

 

“I know our past, but, fuck, I need you, Finn.”

 

And he melted at those words, like they were the ones he’d been waiting years to hear. Maybe they were. Hell, with their past, with all the times she shoved him away, had she ever really begged him like this?

 

He cupped her cheek with one hand. “Are you sure? You have to want this, this time. You have to want me.”

 

“I’m sure.”

 

He closed the distance and kissed her, and fuck if she wasn’t five years ago, if she wasn’t that same desperate woman she’d been when he’d touched her before. She drew her arms around him, pulling him down on top of her.  

 

He lifted his weight on his arm, hand still cupping her face, thumb brushing against her cheek like he couldn’t help it. “This is a bad idea.”

 

“You asked me to stay the night with you. Do you remember that?”

 

“Yeah, I remember. I asked a few times.”

 

“I wish I had. Maybe shit would have worked out right if I hadn’t been so damned stubborn. I just, I had so many things happening, so much shit going on in my head. You’ve got no clue everything I was juggling. But, I wish I’d been brave, wish I’d stayed there, with you. Please, stay with me.”

 

He eased off her, but didn’t leave the bed. He laid beside her, on his side. “You could do so much better than me. Always could have.”

 

She rolled over then scooted back until she felt his body flush against hers.

 

He sighed, breath catching strands of her hair, before sliding an arm over her waist, careful to avoid her injured rib. “This is how it should have been from the start.”

 

“It still could be.”

 

“No. Sometimes, once you fuck something up enough, there’s no coming back from it. This is just for tonight, just because you were hurt. Now, go to sleep, sweetheart, before I remember what a stupid fucking idea this is.”

 

When she woke, hours later, she didn't need to open her eyes to know he had already left. 


	5. Chapter 5

Someone shoved Nora’s shoulder, waking her up. She’d come up swinging if it wasn’t for the fact that Mac liked to wake her up that way most days. He’d use the butt of his rifle and push her shoulder. If she didn’t get up from that, he’d move to poking her in the ribs. He didn’t like when people slept in.

 

With her ribs still sore, she decided not to tempt that one, and sat up instead.

 

“You know, I pay you. You should be nicer when you wake me up.”

 

“You pay me to keep you alive, not to be nice. I’m a mercenary, not a prostitute.”

 

“Prostitutes don’t have to be nice. The ones who aren’t probably make better money.”

 

Clothing struck her face. “Well, I’d make a damn fine prostitute then, if this gig ever runs out.”

 

Nora laughed, wincing when she pulled her shirt on.

 

“You get drunk and fall down, boss?” His voice had gone hard, the way it did when he knew something was up. He didn’t miss much, and the way his eyes zeroed in on her side, he hadn’t missed that.

 

“I wish. Had a run in with a couple assholes from the Pack. Nothing to worry about. They won’t cause any more problems, and I made sure I made my point. Doubt we’ll have a repeat.”

 

“That have anything to do with the bag on your bar?” He jerked a finger over her shoulder.

 

Nora stood up and pulled her jeans on. Mac didn’t give her his back, but he never did. No reason to. They were basically siblings with how little either wanted anything physical from the other. She had an ease she’d never had with Deacon, or anyone else. Mac was the brother she’d never had.

 

On the bar sat a large cloth bag that hadn’t been there the night before.

 

“Can people rig traps out of bags? I’d hate to get myself blown up.”

 

Mac poked at it with his rifle. “With the red seeping out of the bottom, I’m going to guess that’s a body part, not a bomb.”

 

“Great. Here a couple days any people are sending me bodies. What sort of fucked up place sends body parts to someone? Is that a present or a threat? I need a raider translator.”

 

He crossed his arms and took a step back. “Seems like something the Disciples would do.”

 

“And let me guess? You’re not going to open it?”

 

“Hey, boss, I’m here to shoot things that want to kill you, not to open your mail. This one is all you. I have a weak stomach for body parts, anyway, so unless you want to have to clean up puke off the floor, how about you do the honors?”

 

Nora shook her head and shoved past Mac. She opened the top of the bag and met the vacant eyes of the man from the night before, the one who she’d let go. His skin had gone pale, lips parted and blue.

 

A note was attached to his head by a pin.

 

_Consider this an apology._

 

Nora shut the bag and backed up, swallowing to keep her empty stomach from heaving. That was fucking grisly. “It’s from the Pack, I’d guess. Mason’s men attacked me, and I’d bet he sent this as a sorry, so I didn’t hold it against them. Raiders play their games, and this is a step to keep me on his good side.”

 

“That’s oddly. . . sweet. And terrifying. Why is that our life now? Everything is both. What are you going to do with it?”

 

Nora shuddered. “I’m going to return it.”

 

#

 

 

The Pack was more intimidating than the first time. Maybe because they’d left a head in her quarters, while she’d been asleep. It was easy to think of them as no big deal until they did things like that.

 

They stopped seeming like adorable puppies then.

 

“Ah, Overboss, to what do we owe this honor?” Mason, the pack Alpha, lounged on his throne, showing in teeth in something that barely resembled a smile. She supposed she should be grateful it had been his pack that had attacked her, and not him. She doubted there was much fighting off of that man.

 

Nora tossed the head at his feet. “I don’t like people leaving body parts in my room. I know, I’m weird, but it’s a pet peeve of mine.”

 

Mason toed the bag until the head rolled out of it. He let out a laugh that sounded like little more than a huff of hair. “Kaiden. The asshole showed up last night wounded, talking about some fight, said we lost a couple men. Sorry, kitten, but I didn’t leave this for you.”

 

“Don’t call me kitten.” Nora placed her hand on her pistol, knowing Mac mirrored her stance. “and if you didn’t leave this, who did?”

 

“Sheathe your claws, Overboss. I don’t want any problems. A little birdy told me they started shit with you, and when two of ‘em ended up dead, well, I figure they got what was coming to ‘em. We Pack, we’re the sort who deal with our own problems. From what I heard, you dealt with ‘em well enough, so I didn’t worry too much about it. But, there was someone else who came asking.”

 

“Who?”

 

Mason lifted the head by its hair and tossed it into the cage with the mutts. They fell on it, and Nora turned her face away from the gruesome sight.

 

“Finn came asking in middle of the night, seemed pretty damn pissed off. The boy is a steady one, surprised the fuck out of me to see him foaming at the mouth like that. He almost looked like Pack material. I’d guess you have him to thank for that little gift.”

 

Of course it was Finn. Because the day couldn’t get fucking worse.

 

They walked out of the Pack territory, and Mac stopped her. “Where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to go ask why Finn left a fucking head in my room.” 

 

And for once, he was going to fucking answer her. He didn't get to sit on the fence here. He couldn't shove her away and tell her he didn't want anything with her then do shit like this. He wanted to play both sides but she wasn't going to let him do that. She wanted a straight answer; she wanted him to look at her and admit he wanted her, admit there was still something there. No one slaughtered someone and left a head if you didn't care anymore. 

 

“See, this is the difference between you and I. I get a head and I think ‘let’s just leave that person alone.’ You get a head and you want to go poke the man who left it for you.” MacCready kept up with her quick pace with ease, due to his long legs. 

 

“You don’t have to come with me.”

 

“Right, because the last time I left you alone you got attacked. You die, my paychecks stop. Normally I could trust people to be on their own for a little while, but do we need to revisit this whole head thing? Because, I feel like that proves you need me.”

 

“Fine, come with me. You’re staying outside, though.”

 

“Fine. Trust me, I don’t need to see you having hate sex with anyone. There isn’t enough med-x to ease that sort of pain.”


	6. Chapter 6

Finn’s place sat just outside Nuka World, in the desert between the parks. He had a house, the turret's buzz able to be heard from the Nuka World gates. Of course, she wouldn’t expect anything else from him. He wasn’t the sort of man to live without defenses, especially not when surrounded by raiders.

 

Or when he went around cutting peoples heads off.

 

“You sure this is a good idea, boss?”

 

“No, but when has that ever stopped me before?”

 

“Fair point. Are we taking out his turrets?”

 

Nora stopped at the line where she knew they’d fail to pick her up. “No. I think destroying his defenses will set the conversation off to a bad start. You stay out here, I’ll sneak past them.”

 

“Try not to get shot. I’m not in the mood to drag you back, okay?”

 

Nora pulled a stealthboy out and popped it.

 

She snuck past the turrets with ease, then slid into his house. After the night before, she couldn’t believe he’d be up, let alone out, at this hour.

 

The house was everything she expected from him. Small, efficient, filled with more weapons than furniture. It made her smile, imaging him setting up the place.

 

Until she saw the image of him alone in it, alone for five years. She’d had a rough five years, but she’d never been alone, not really. She still had friends, and she got the feeling he hadn’t made any of those in a long time.

 

Up the stairs, Nora spotted the bed, and his back. She crouched down and snuck, like Deacon had taught her, until she made it beside the bed. His face was quiet, peaceful. She’d never really gotten to see him at peace. That hard edge he wore like armor had faded away, leaving someone she didn’t know in its place.

 

She wanted to crawl into the bed, to crawl inside this new person, to find out about him. Hell, she knew little about Finn. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was all passion and need and little talking. They weren’t those same people, though, and she wanted to slide her hands around inside his mind until she understood him, until she had every secret out of him.

 

But that wasn’t what she was here for. And the moment she crawled into that bed, he’d kick her out.

 

So, instead, Nora lifted her foot and kicked the corner of the mattress.

 

A gun pointed at her face rewarded her efforts. He frowned when he noticed her but didn’t pull the gun back. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Nice morning. Bright sun, the smell of gunpowder and grease, a head on my bar.”

 

He sat up, keeping the blanket around his waist. It was then she realized, he must be naked beneath that blanket. Or at least, pretty damned close to it.

 

No. Focus.

 

She yanked her eyes back to his face.

 

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

 

“Cut the shit, Finn. I asked Mason about it. He didn’t do it, but told me you were asking questions last night.”

 

“I ask questions a lot. It’s part of my job.”

 

“Why’d you do it?”

 

“Nothing to do with you, sweetheart. People who attack the Overboss need to be put down for the good of the whole park. It helps keep the peace. Ain’t got nothing to do with you.”

 

Nora set on knee on the mattress and leaned into Finn’s face. “Bullshit. You just wanted to get rid of someone, you didn’t need to leave their head like a fucking gift in my room. Don’t tell me it had nothing to do with me when you pull that shit.”

 

He turned his face away, but she grabbed his chin, nails digging in, and forced him to face her.

 

“Come on, Finn. Answer me. You owe me this much, you owe me fucking answers.”

 

“Just drop it.”

 

“No. Tell me.”

 

His hand reached behind her head like he couldn’t control it and yanked her the last inches down, smashing her lips against his. It was a messy kiss, the sort that said how long he’d wanted this, all teeth and tongue and desperation. He pulled back after a moment, chest rising and fall in heavy panting. “I couldn’t fucking breathe until I knew they were dealt with, okay? You took out two, but you just wounded the third and let him go. You’ve got a soft heart, and I love it about you, but I couldn’t stand to know he was out there, walking around. Bastard deserved what he got and worse. I’m not sorry either, not a bit, so don’t expect some fucking apology about it. I only wish I’d gotten the other two before you did.”

 

“And the head? Why’d you leave the head?”

 

He released a sigh and his breath spilled over her lips. “Wanted you to sleep well. Figured proof of the last asshole's demise would help. I thought you’d chalk it up to Mason, but didn’t think you’d go confronting the Alpha, never thought you’d figure out it was me.”

 

Nora tilted her head, taking in the sight of Finn, his cheeks flushed, breath sawing in and out of his lungs, eyes bright. She let out a soft laugh. “You’re the only man I know who leaves heads to make someone feel better. First a courser chip, now a head." 

 

"What can I say? I'm not a flowers and wine kind of man." 

 

She gripped his knees through the blanket and yanked him toward the foot of the bed. He frowned but followed, probably because his legs would bruise if he didn’t.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Nora slid to her knees between his legs. “You used to tell me you wanted to try my mouth. You remember that?”

 

He swallowed, a loud gulp that said exactly how much he wanted it. “Yeah, I remember that.”

 

“You told me you couldn’t trust it. Do you trust it now?”

 

“Don’t trust anything about you. You and I, we aren’t trusting sort of people.”

 

Nora flashed him a smiled as she gripped the edge of blanket still over his lap. “Fair enough. So, tell me to stop. Tell me no, and I’ll walk right out of here.”

 

He lifted a hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip, then pressed it into her mouth. Nora wrapped her tongue around it, teasing it, wanting him to know how bad she wanted this. He groaned before slipping his thumb away. “This is just this once. It doesn’t mean anything, it can’t.”

 

She ignored the pain in her chest at those words, at the finality in them. Her fingers gripped the blanket and pulled.

 

“I’ll take what I can get,” she whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

 

Nora ran her hands along the top of Finn’s thighs, testing the muscles there, reacquainting herself with his body. Hell, had she ever gotten the chance to just touch him? To not rush, not make something into a game, into a battle, but just enjoy him? She couldn’t take too long, she knew, or he’d reconsider this. But, she also knew she might not get another chance, and didn’t want to waste this one.

 

He ran his hand over her jaw, then slid his fingers into her hair. “Your hair’s shorter than it used to be.”

 

“Got tired of washing the blood out of it.”

 

He released a soft laugh at that, like she charmed him and he couldn’t help it. “Always loved that blood thirsty streak you got.” He tensed as soon as he said it, like he’d realized he’d said that terrible ‘l’ word, like that changed everything. He was going to pull away, she knew it.

 

Nora pressed a kiss to the inside of his thigh, so close that her cheek brushed his cock. It twitched in response.

 

“Fuck.” Finn forgot about his verbal slip up, if his groan was any indication.

 

“I missed you.” Nora risked the words, unable to not say them, unable to just let this mean nothing, then pressed a kiss to his other thigh. “Did you miss me?”

 

“We’re not here for I missed yous and shit like that. That’s not what this is about.”

 

Nora froze for a moment at the way the words struck her. Of course they weren’t.  He didn’t want any of that, didn’t want her. “We’re just here for you to use my mouth, huh? History always does repeat itself.”

 

Finn cursed and tried to stand.

 

Nora gripped is thighs, knocking him back down. She slid his cock into her mouth, taking him deep, almost gagging. She wanted this, wanted to feel him come undone, especially since this was the one thing he’d wanted before, the one thing she’d never done for him. Maybe it would make him shut up and accept that there was still something there, that they could still fix whatever this was. Maybe she could force him to remember there was still something between them.

 

She knew there was. It was in the way he second guessed himself, the way he stared at her. He still loved her, he just couldn’t admit it. Didn’t want to admit it.

 

His hand flexed in her hair at the feeling, at the surprise. “Fucking hell, Nora. This. . . we can’t. . . fuck that feels good.” His stilted words would have made her laugh if she wasn’t busy trying to breathe through her nose.  

 

She pulled back far enough to use her tongue, to twist it around his length. It had been a long fucking time since she’d last done this, but she remembered how, and what she couldn’t remember she’d damn well learn. She’d chase the moans that left his throat, figuring out what he liked. Her hands stayed on his thighs in case he got any other brilliant ideas about getting up.

 

His voice broke, even as he used his hand to slid her mouth along him, like his body and brain were not on speaking terms right then. “This isn’t like last time; it can’t be. I don’t want to just use you.”

 

Nora pulled off his cock to slid her tongue along the head. “Shut up, would you, Finn?”

 

This time, he yanked back on her hair enough to get her to look up at him. Her scalp ached, but he met his gaze.

 

“No. This was us before, it was anger and violence and bad fucking choices. I don’t want that, anymore. I can’t do that anymore.”

 

He was turning her down. She had her mouth around him and he was still turning her down, still pushing her away. She’d spent five years wanting him and he wouldn’t even let her do this. Nothing was ever going to change his mind, to make him admit they still needed each other.

 

She was stupid, just a woman pining away from a man who didn’t want her.

 

Nora pulled forward, against his grip, far enough to press her lips against his thigh, then sink her teeth in, hard.

 

“Fuck.” He growled the word out, low and angry but he didn’t retaliate, didn’t shove her or yank her hair. He let her do it.

 

Nora let go after a second. She didn’t break skin but he was going to bruise up nicely.

 

He released his grip on her hair. “Feel better?” His voice was nothing but condescension.

 

Nora got off her knees and turned her back on him. Fuck him, he didn’t deserve to know how much it hurt to be thrown away again, didn’t deserve to see the way her eyes glossed over when she struggled to not let tears fall. “No. Not really.”

 

“Are you crying?” He asked the words like they didn’t make sense, then stood up and tried to touch her arm.

 

Nora yanked away. “No, I'm not crying. Fuck you. I’m no ones charity case. Thanks for the head, I guess, sorry I couldn’t return the favor.” She tried to walk out, but Finn grabbed her, pressing her back against the wall.

 

“You are crying.” He lifted a hand to her face to catch a tear, but she snapped her teeth at it.

 

“Let me go.”

 

“You can’t be this angry that I stopped you from blowing me. What’s really wrong?”

 

“Really? Five years out here rot your brain or something? I fucking love you, still!”  

 

“You came here with MacCready, it doesn't look like you’re all that lonely for company.”

 

“You’re a fucking idiot! MacCready is my friend, nothing more. I haven’t touched a man since you left me.” She shoved him until he let go, his face a mask of disbelief. “You know what, fuck you. I’m done. You wanted me gone, fine, I’m gone!”

 

She stormed out and slammed the door behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

“What-“

 

“-Shut up, Mac. I don’t need to hear it.”

 

“You’re terrible at dating, aren’t you? Do you want lessons?”

 

“You haven’t been with anyone since I’ve known you, and you spend all day waist-deep in blood behind me, so what exactly do you think you could teach me?”

 

“Well for starters, not to talk to men like that, because anything in my groin region is not reaction positively to your tone of voice.”

 

“Let’s be clear, Mac, if anything in your groin region ever reacts positively to me, I’ll cut it off.”

 

“If that happens, trust me, I’ll let you. Also, threats like that? Not erection inspiring.” Mac walked up beside Nora and slid an arm over her shoulder. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just feel like he and I did this five years ago, why the fuck are we playing the same game?”

 

“You want me to shoot him? Because, I will.”

 

Nora considered it for a moment, then shook her head. “No. You can’t shoot him.”

 

“Why, because you love him?”

 

She looked the other way.

 

“Oh sh-darn. You do? Well, I never thought I’d see the day.”

 

“If you keep talking, you won’t see the end of the day.” They reached Fizztop Mountain, and Nora shrugged his arm off. “I’m going to bed. See you in the morning?”

 

“You know it. Get some sleep, boss.”

 

#

 

Two house later, Nora still tossed and turned on the bed. Nothing but Finn played in her head. He made good points; whatever had been between them had been dark, and wrong, and hurtful for them both. They’d clung to each other, pulled back together time and time again, but still they wounded the other.

 

Were they just going to do it all over again?

 

She didn’t want to do it again, but every time Finn turned her away it felt like they drifted back there.

 

“Seems like I’m back here apologizing a lot.”

 

“You should make a career out of breaking into my place. You do it all the time.”

 

“It’s how things started, wasn’t it?”  Finn walked toward the bed, arms across his chest.

 

“Why are you so obsessed with living in the past, Finn? I’m not asking you for apologies, I’m not holding any grudges. Why can’t you get past it?”

 

He pulled a chair up and sat beside the bed. “Because the man I was terrifies me. He keeps me up at night, thinking about the things I did, the way I treated you. Fuck, sweetheart, someone should have taken my head for it. Instead, I got to start over. Came out here, wanted to do something right, maybe, hell, I don’t know, maybe earn you somehow. Turn into that better person who was worthy of you. And then you show up and I’m not done yet. I’m not ready. Still too much of that old person still inside me.”

 

“But I don’t care about that. I’ve waited five years; I don’t want to wait another five on you turning into someone I never asked you to become. I like your rough edges, Finn, I like your anger and your temper and your stubbornness.”

 

He rubbed his hand against his face, then leaned forward, setting his hand on her knee. “So what is it you want?”

 

“I just want a chance to try, to see where things could go. Neither of us are the same people we were five years ago, and maybe we’ll decide things are different now, but I want that chance.”

 

“And if I end up hurting you again? If I end up just picking you apart like the last time?”

 

Nora set her hand on top of his. “Then I survive it like I did the last time. I lost a lot of shit already. I watched my husband die, killed my own son when I blew up the Institute, I don’t want to lose you without at least trying. I’ve lost so much that I couldn’t help, I won’t lose anything else just because of fear.”

 

“That’s it? You just want to try?”

 

“Hell, why not? We’ve both fucked up and succeeded and failed and done more shit than most people do in their whole lives. Why can’t we just pretend like we’re any two people? We’ll just start over and just, see what could be.”

 

“You want me to take you out on dates and shit? What are we, teenagers stealing kisses?” He sighed and shook his head like the idea was absurd.

 

Hell, maybe it was crazy.

 

“I’d settle for you just getting into this bed with me.”

 

Finn stilled, like he might turn her down, again, but then slid over to sit beside her. He placed a hand on her cheek, turning her face to his. “Fuck, sweetheart, if we’re going to play at being stupid kids, guess I ought to kiss you, huh?” He didn’t wait for an answer before brushing his lips against hers, gentle, coaxing.

 

Nora responded, sliding her tongue against the seam of his lips, trying to get him to deepen the kiss.

 

He laughed and pulled back. “You only have one speed, huh?”

 

She shrugged. “It’s been a while, for me at least.”

 

“That what’s bothering you? Yeah, it’s been a while for me, too. Turns out, you’re hard to replace.”

 

He reached for the front of her shirt, but her hands stopped his before he could pop a single button. He pulled his hands back, but she kept her grip on the cloth.

 

She took a deep breath and forced a tense smile. “It’s been a long time.”

 

“We don’t have to do this.”

 

He didn’t get it. How could he.

 

Her fingers clung to the fabric of her shirt. “It’s been five years, Finn, and those five years haven’t been easy ones.”

 

He frowned. “You’re shy? You’re telling me five years has turned you shy?”

 

“I remember the first time you got my clothing off, and you said how nice my skin was. You told me the girls who came through Goodneighbor had a hell of a lot more scars than I did. You said it a few more times, how pretty my skin was, how soft, how smooth. Well, I’m fucking covered in scars now, and I’m older, too.” Her fingers trembled at the neckline of her shirt.

 

“Really? After everything? That’s where we are?”

 

She refused to meet his gaze. “Hey, I’m allowed to be vain, aren’t I?”

 

Finn got off the bed and knelt down between her thighs, placing his hands on the outside of hers. “How about I make my own decisions, yeah?” He pulled at her hands, and Nora let him do it.

 

He slid her shirt off. He ran his fingers against a long, thin scar at her collarbone, the sensation dulled by the scar tissue. “Knife?”

 

“Raider got a lucky shot when I came around a corner.”

 

“Bullets.” He frowned. “Minigun?” The collection of star-shaped scars at her side. The callouses on his fingers caught the scar tissue.

 

“Maxson, right before I blew his ship out of the sky.”

 

Finn pressed a kiss to it, his lips warm, soothing the anxiety. “Then I guess you got your payback.”

 

He touched each of the new scars, questioned each one, and she told him. Then he kissed them, each one, like he loved every one, each one proof of not what she suffered, but what she’d survived. The Suicider who’d leapt out of a building, the coursers from the Institute, the time MacCready got drunk and hit her with a stray bullet. He cleansed each one with a kiss, scrubbing away her fears, her insecurities.

 

His fingers undid the button on her pants and offered a smile. “I want to be thorough.”

 

She laughed as she let him pull the pants off, though he left her underwear on. She almost groaned in frustration at that.

 

“Bite? A mutt?”

 

Nora shook her head. “Mutant hound. It grabbed Dogmeat so I kicked it.”

 

He pressed a kiss to the mark on her calf. He continued up her legs, repeating the action from above. The bullet hole from Pickman. The infected mole-rats from Vault 81. He found every tiny imperfection and lavished attention on it.

 

“And this? I recognize a Deathclaw scratch anywhere.” He pressed her thighs far apart to find the deep wounds on her left leg, just below her groin.

 

“I found an Alpha Deathclaw in the Old Witchcraft Museum, guarding an egg. He caught me coming around the corner. That one almost ruined some parts you’d have missed.”

 

Finn laughed, his breath spilling over her cunt, warming her even through the cloth of her underwear. “That would have been disappointing. I’m going to guess you kill it?” He pressed his lips against the mark, then kissed up to the crease between her hip and groin.

 

Nora gasped, but tried to keep her voice level as she spoke. “Yeah, I did. Of course, then I picked up the egg and took it back to its mother.”

 

“Why would you do that?” His lips trailed kisses along the edge of her panties.

 

“I know what it feels like to lose a child. No mother should suffer that, Deathclaw or not.”

 

He looked up and caught her gaze, something sparking there. Maybe it was the first real thing she’d said to him, the first time she’d confided in him. He knew some of her past because she’d told him while delirious from an injury, but she’d never really told him anything on her own. This was the first real connection they’d drawn between them, something beyond anger and passion. Sure, his lips were on her and there was passion between them, but that was the offer of something more.

 

He slid his tongue past the line of her panties, dipping beneath them.

 

Nora placed her hand on his head, and his gaze met hers again. “Should I stop? Because, you have to want this.”

 

Nora heard what he didn’t say. This was a way to wipe away their first time. It was the same thing but different. He was replicating the first time he’d taken her, trying to alter that mess, to turn it into something different. Instead of her being handcuffed and at his mercy, he was on his knees and she was in control.

 

“Don’t stop, please.”

 

He released a heavy breath, like he’d been holding it until she answered. His fingers hooked around the waistband of her panties, and when she lifted her hips, he slid them down.

 

“Beautiful,” he mumbled, so low she wasn’t sure he was talking to her. There was no time to ask before he pressed his lips against the top of her cleft, his breath warming her skin.

 

He rubbed his fingers up her slit, pulling a broken gasp from her. She released his head and set her hands behind to keep her upright, thighs still spread wide.

 

Finn darted his tongue out, sliding it around her clit, rubbing it between her clit and the hood. Meanwhile, he pressed a finger into her, groaning against her at the feeling. He moved that finger out, adding a second.

 

Nora leaned back further, thighs opening more at the fullness. Fuck, it had been too long. She wanted to reach down, to grab his shoulders and pull him on top of her, let him fill her up like they both want it.

 

But, he needed this. He needed to replace their first time in his mind, in both their minds, with something better. So she surrendered, laying back fully, giving herself over to whatever he wanted.

 

As if he felt the difference, he used his thumb to pull the hood back on her clit and rubbed his tongue directly against it. His fingers sped, pushing in deeper, pushing her toward the edge.

 

He sucked on her clit, and she came apart. Her back arched up and she tightened around his fingers. He didn’t stop, either with his fingers or his mouth. He helped her ride out each wave as she came, pulling every bit of pleasure he could until she whimpered and scooted backward. He pulled his fingers from her, wiping them off on his pant leg, and offered one more kiss to her still twitching cunt.

 

Nora gasped, still trying to slow her breathing, to slow her racing heartbeat. Finn sat on the bed beside her, running his hand over her hip, her body still trembling.

 

“Are we going to. . .” Nora nodded toward the obvious bulge in Finn’s pants.

 

“No, sweetheart. But, maybe I could stay the night?”

 

Nora scooted over, letting Finn take a spot on the bed. She rolled toward him, wrapping her arm around his waist, her head against his chest. His steady heartbeat helped her relax, to let the tension of the day go. Maybe they could start over, maybe they could find some way to go forward, to find something.

 

For the first time, she really believed, maybe they could make this work, if this place didn't kill them first. 


	9. Chapter 9

 

Finn had already left by the time Nora drug herself out of bed. He’d said he needed to head back to his place, to get ready for the day. The sun hadn’t even come up yet. She suspected he didn’t want anyone to know about them.

 

It didn’t even sting; she understood. There were dangers there, and handing raiders things to use against you was just dumb, for either of them.

 

So she’d kissed him, let him go, then went back to bed until a more reasonable hour.

 

“Nice night?” Mac dropped his rifle on her bar and handed her a cup of coffee.

 

“Yeah, it was fine.”

 

“Just fine? You waited five years for just fine?”

 

Nora tossed an empty can of purified water at him, but he knocked it away with ease.

 

“Feisty, huh?” He laughed and took a seat at the table. “Couldn’t have been that good, then.”

 

“We’re not having this conversation.”

 

“Nope, we aren’t. Only I was." He waited, like she'd contribute, before sighing. "Oh fine, I’ll let it go. I mean, it’s not like this is interesting, like it hasn’t been five years that we’ve been traveling and I’ve never seen you make sweet eyes at anyone like you do with him. But, no, not interesting at all.” He took a drink of his own coffee and set his feet up on the opposite chair.

 

Nora kicked his feet off and sat in that chair. “I’ve got to talk to you.”

 

“Well that sounds ominous.”

 

Nora sighed and rested her arms on the table. She’d had Mac with her for everything, for taking down the Brotherhood, for blowing up the Institute. Ever since Deacon had taken off, she’d clung to Mac. He was her rock. Her skinny, mouthy rock. But he didn’t care for risking his life, or hers, for the greater good, and that was what she was about to ask him to do.

 

“I want to free the traders.”

 

“Damnit, Nora, I knew you were gonna fall for that. As soon as I heard her talking in that sweet voice, all helpless, I knew you were going to do it.”

 

“They’re slaves, Mac. I would think that might be enough to move that rock you call a heart.”

 

He leaned back and tapped his chest. “Not even a twitch. Look, we’ve done a lot of good stuff, helped people, as much as I hate doing that, but why do you decide we need to take on three gangs of raiders to save a handful of traders. Seems like a bad deal.”

 

“I know this isn’t your thing. I won’t hold any grudges if you want to step out on this. No hard feelings if you want to head home. You’ve done a lot for me over the years, and we both know we’re way past any stupid payment. You’ve got Duncan to think about, and Curie, and this is a bit more dangerous than our usual gigs. You've got a family to go back to.” The words stung.

 

She wouldn’t blame Mac for backing out. He still had a family, he had people to go home to. He had Duncan, he had Curie. Sure, they hadn’t exactly been public, but Nora had caught the looks back and forth, and Curie cared for Duncan what he was gone. Hell, she understood him. They were so fucking similar. He’d lost his wife, almost lost his kid. She’d lost Nate and ended up losing Shaun. So, yeah, she understood him, and him and Curie just made sense. It was like a little readymade family.

 

If she had those things, maybe she wouldn’t do this either.

 

Then she thought back to the Harvey, forced to trick people to coming there, the fear in his eyes when he'd run into her later, and she shook her head.

 

She’d still do it.

 

MacCready reached out and set his hand over hers. “I’m not leaving you, Boss. We’re in this together, and if you want to do stupid, dangerous, ill-advised things, well, I’ll follow you, and when you fall down, I’ll leave you behind because you’re toast anyway and I could use the head start.”

 

Nora squeezed his hand back. “Thank you, Mac.”

 

“Isn’t this sweet?” Finn’s voice had Nora pulling her had back, like she’d been caught.

 

Then it occurred to how stupid that was. But, leave it to Mac to cause trouble. He grinned and looked over his shoulder. “Hello again, Finn.”

 

Finn nodded, voice unfriendly. “MacCready.”

 

“No doors to swindle people from here?”

 

“No people to shoot for caps?”

 

Mac laughed and got to his feet. “Always people to shoot for caps, you know that. I’ll leave you two alone, now. Have fun, kids.” Mac offered a mocking salute before picking up his rifle and taking the lift down.

 

Finn followed Mac with his gaze as the kid walked out. “Can I shoot him?”

 

“No, you can’t.”

 

Finn shrugged like it was no bother either way. Hell, it probably wasn’t to him. Despite this sweet side he seemed to be trying to showcase, Nora knew better. He’d killed a courser for her, he’d killed Bobbi for her, and he’d killed and decapitated a raider for her. Ending Mac wasn’t going to weight too heavily on his conscious.

 

“You just come to visit? Is this one of those dates we talked about, because I’m not exactly dressed for it?” Nora nodded at her outfit, just jeans and a shirt.

 

He smiled and took the seat MacCready had left. “I got no complaints about your outfit, but no. Not here for a date. I wanted to ask what your plans are here.”

 

“Plans? You know me, I don’t plan. I’m just here for the ride.” What a lie. She always planned, always figured shit out. It was how she’d taken out all her enemies and changed the Commonwealth, and it was how she was going to survive Nuka World.  

 

His fingers tapped on the table. “You should think about leaving. Gage isn’t the only one with plans here. Every fucking person here wants power, has plans, and won’t blink an eye to mow you down to get to what they want. You’re nothing but a pawn to them.”

 

Nora frowned, took a deep breath, then asked the question she’d wanted to ask since she’d seen him. “Including you?”

 

He cocked up an eyebrow. “I’m not planning on mowing you down.”

 

“What are you doing here, though? What’s your game?”

 

He smiled, one that sent a shudder through Nora, reminded her again that he wasn’t just anyone. “Just along for the ride, sweetheart.”

 

“Well, at least we know we’re both still liars.”

 

Finn laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, we always have been liars. I’m not gonna force you to say shit, not like I could, but be careful. Don’t trust anyone here. This place is dangerous and I just found you. I’d hate to lose you again so soon.”

 

“Will you come by tonight?”

 

“Do you want me to?”

 

Stupid question. The answer had been the same for a long time. “Yeah, I do.”

 

He stood and walked over to her. His hand cupped her neck before he leaned in and kissed her, deep and without hesitation. When he pulled away he grinned. “Alright. I’ll be there.”

 

She watched him walk out while her fingers tapped the tabletop. She was planning on killing all the raiders in the park, and she still didn’t know what side of that battle Finn would be on.


	10. Chapter 10

 

“You seem to visit me a lot, kitten. You find another head or were you just missing me?” Mason rose from his seat this time, hopping down off the stage to stand beside Nora like they were buddies. The alpha still intimidated her in a way the other two gang leaders didn’t.

 

Mags was all business, as slimy as the merchants in Diamond City. She understood that, could even respect it. Nisha was driven by a lust for violence, and even though the woman was crazy, Nora got her craziness. She didn’t play games, simply said what she meant and stuck to it.

 

Mason though? Mason played games. It’s how he kept his power. He liked to fight his battles on dominance alone, to get others to submit to him. He played the games with her, too, or he tried. He wanted her to cower, to submit, but the fool had no idea how stubborn she was. He stood taller than her, covering in muscle and arrogance, a god in his own tiny little world.

 

“Neither. I’m here because Gage said you’ve got a problem with missing slaves.” She stumbled over the word slave, like even calling them that turned her stomach. She wasn’t a fan of running off after people in order to return them to their masters, but she also didn’t like the idea they might be being hurt. It meant she had to deal with it.

 

“There’s a lot of feeling in that word for you, ain’t there? Ain’t nobody a slave who doesn’t wanna be one.”

 

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. These people would run if they weren’t afraid of that explosive hooked around their throats. If you believed they wanted to be slaves, you wouldn’t need to collars, would you?”

 

He set his hands on her hips, pulling her forward until they almost touched. The touch made her want to shrink away, to escape it. It reminded her too much of the pack members in that alleyway, and too little of the only hands she wanted on her. But, she couldn’t pull away, because this was part of his game.

 

“They may not realize it, but they wanted it. If they hadn’t, they’d have kept their noses clean and not pissed us off. They were begging for it.” His words had dropped low, and she knew he wasn’t just talking about the slaves.

 

Nora moved her gaze down his hand, then back up. “You remember those three pack members you don’t have anymore? Well, they died because they put their hands on me. You want to follow their example? Because it didn’t work out too well for them.”

 

Mason chuckled before taking a step back. “I like when you show your teeth. Helps me remember why the fuck we made you Overboss in the first place. Yeah, Gage ain’t wrong. Someone is picking off slaves. You lose ‘em now and then, that’s part of life. Someone gets a little too rough, a creature picks ‘em off, or sometimes they try to run and, well, it ain’t exactly pretty what those collars do.”

 

“They’re just dying? Anyone check the bodies to figure out why?”

 

“Kitten, what’s left of the bodies ain’t enough identify let alone check. They all had their collars activated. Nothing but a pile of bloody meat. We’re losing a couple a week and it keeps getting worse. Hard to replace ‘em at those numbers, and without enough slaves, this place falls apart.”

 

She rubbed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the guilt at helping Mason. It was for the greater good, right? Dead slaves couldn’t be saved. Had to keep them alive first, then worry about freeing them. “Any ideas? Another gang, maybe?”

 

“I don’t think so. Not from the top, at least. I’m gonna guess someone has gotten a taste of killing that goes beyond what we offer, and we offer a hell of a lot. Slaves are easy prey, and unless you’re killing five or six a week, no ones gonna notice.”

 

“Disciples seem like the type to do that, they’re pretty fucking bloody.”

 

“I thought so too, but the thing is, they don’t hide their kills. If it was them, I’d bet we’d find those bodies strung up like the rest of their prizes. No, whoever this is, I’m gonna bet their leader doesn’t know shit. This is one fucked up person who is trying hard to stay unnoticed. You’re gonna have to go at it from the other side. But, that’s part of your job, right?”

 

Great. Her first week there and she was already having to find a serial killer in a park full of killers. It felt like finding an alpha deathclaw in the middle of a group of deathclaws; sure, you might find the slightly worse one, but they all were going to try to kill you anyway.

 

“Who can I talk to about the missing slaves?”

 

“What could you want to know about a slave?”

 

“Where they worked, who they spent time with, you know, the details that’ll help me figure it out?”

 

Mason shrugged, like the idea seemed stupid to him. “Shank, I guess. Stands out in front of the market. He’s a lot like Finn, he ain’t part of any gang, just works between us all. He handles most of the slaves, the merchants, all that. If anyone knows shit, it’d be him.”

 

“Okay. I’ll check in with him tomorrow.” The sun had already started to go down, and Nora had no desire to go walking through Nuka World in the dark. It wasn’t like she could do shit about the problem that night, anyway. “If you hear of anymore bodies, can you have someone come get me? I want to take a look before it gets cleaned up.”

 

“Sure, kitten, anything you want.” Mason’s smirk had her rolling her eyes and reminding herself, she couldn’t shoot the Pack Alpha.

 

Not yet, at least.

 

But that time was coming, and fucking fast if she had to keep putting up with him.

 

#

 

Nora took the lift after saying goodnight to Mac. It was later than she’d like, but everyone wanted something.

 

No amount of daily bullshit could keep the smile off her lips when she caught sight of Finn when the lift hit the top, though. He leaned over the table, setting food out. “You look tired,” he offered.

 

“Yeah. How the fuck did Colter look so happy? I can’t imagine he ran every damned errand like I seem to be doing.”

 

“Easy, he didn’t do any of that shit. Though, that’s also why he isn’t around, so I wouldn’t suggest taking his lead.”

 

Nora took a seat across from Finn. So it wasn’t a five course meal with candles, but she grinned at his attempt. Was this a date for him? Two plates of grilled deathclaw steaks and some wine. Hell, she hadn’t seen anything better since waking up, especially with the way he fidgeted in his own seat like she might call him on it.

 

“The food looks great, thanks. I could use a good meal. I think I’m going to kill Mason the next time he calls me kitten.”

 

“Yeah, I saw that coming a mile away.”

 

“What? That he’d piss me off?”

 

“No, that he’d make a play for you. The second I figured you took out Colter, I knew Mason would try. He’s got a thing for tough women, and with you as Overboss? Yeah, there was no way he could resist it. I’m amazed he’s been as hands off as he has been.”

 

“He’s an idiot if he thinks I’m interested.”

 

“The less interested he thinks you are, the better for him. Mason sees a challenge, nothing else. He sees someone above him, someone he thinks he can use, and he’ll use anything he can to get that. He figures if he can get his dick inside you, you’ll submit to him.”

 

“He have a magic dick or something?”

 

Finn shrugged, but she could see the tension in his shoulders. “Maybe not magic, but I think he’s pretty good at using whatever he does have. To him, fucking is just like fighting, a skill to be honed and used for power.”

 

Nora grinned and cocked up an eyebrow. “You jealous?”

 

He narrowed his eyes, like he was cursing her for acknowledging it, like she was supposed to just ignore it. “Yeah, I am. We got a past, but that’s really it right now. I don’t care for Mason sniffing around your heels.”

 

Nora got out of her chair and slid into his lap, wrapping her arms over his shoulders, fingers lacing behind his neck. “We’ve got more than just a past. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.”

 

“He’s tricked a lot of women into his bed, sweetheart, and those women left it pretty fucking happy. I couldn’t really blame you for being tempted.” His hands gripped her hips, pulling her tighter against him.

 

“Yeah, well, I haven’t exactly left your bed unhappy.” She tilted her head and tapped a finger against her lips. “Well, that’s not entirely true. I did bite your thigh that time. And you once drugged me instead of having sex with me. Hmm, maybe I will go see Mason.” She started to stand.

 

A growl came from Finn’s lips before he yanked her back down and took her mouth in a kiss. This wasn’t that gentle side he was trying so hard to show, this was the passion and edge of anger she’d missed. His tongue slipped past her lips, tasting, taking, and his hand held her still for his exploration.

 

She felt bad, but fuck, she loved when he came undone, when this new restraint he’d found broke. It wasn’t that she wanted the heartache from before, but she also didn’t want to lose that fire. He treated her a bit too careful now, like she’d break.

 

He broke the kiss but didn’t release his grip on her neck. “He touches you and you won’t have to worry about killing him, because I will.”

 

“You didn’t care when Deacon touched me.”

 

“Oh, I cared plenty. I just knew he couldn’t give you what you wanted, so it seemed harmless. Mason? Mason is more like I am, and fuck, yeah, I’m worried. You got a thing for men who are bad for you, sweetheart, and he’s pretty fucking bad for you.” He took a deep breath before releasing her neck, like he was afraid of being rough.

 

“I don’t have a thing for men who are bad for me.”

 

“Really? How do you explain this lapse in judgment, then?” Finn nodded down at how she was in in his lap.

 

Nora leaned in and nipped at his bottom lip before getting up and pulling him toward the bed. “Guess I have a thing for you.”


	11. Chapter 11

 

“Well, ain’t this sweet?” Mason’s voice had Nora stilling, and Finn going tense.

 

Great, because they hadn’t been interrupted enough before? Was it the whole damned world conspiring to keep her from getting laid?

 

“New rule. The next person to sneak into my room gets something important removed.” Nora turned to face Mason, who stood on the lift.

 

“Relax, kitten. I’m not here to join in on whatever this is.” He waved his hand between Finn and her. “Though, I have to admit, I find it interesting, and interesting shit it worth a bundle here.”

 

“What are you doing here, Mason?” Finn asked.

 

“Overboss asked me to let her know if we had any other problems with missing slaves. I got a dead body for her to look at.”

 

Nora folded her arms across her chest. “And you needed to show up in the middle of the night for this? It couldn’t wait till morning?”

 

“By morning, something will have eaten what’s left. Figured you wanted to see what’s left before then. Sorry for spoiling your fun, but, hey, I’m more than willing to make it up to you afterward.” He winked, a wicked smile across his lips.

 

Nora expected Finn to say something, some snarling comment in response, but he said nothing, gave no reaction to the clear come on by Mason.

 

“Where’s the body?” Nora asked.

 

“Outside the front gates.” Mason walked over to the table, pushing the plates around. “Date night, huh?”

 

“Shut up, Mason.” Nora pulled on her jacket and slid her rifle’s strap over her shoulder.

 

“Not gonna say shit, Finn? I pegged you for a ‘my shit is mine’ sort of man. Someone who snarls when men get to close to his bitch.”

 

“Sure, when something’s mine. She wants to sniff around you, that ain’t my problem. We’re fucking, we ain’t married.” Finn made a show of tucking his shirt in before walking toward the lift. “Have fun with your slave bullshit.”

 

Nora frowned, trying to keep her face clear but knowing she was failing. It had to be a game. Something to throw Mason off.

 

It had to be. Yeah, he liked to push her away, but this was too far even for him. He’d said he still wanted her, hadn’t he? Of course, he kept telling her no, also.

 

It had to be a ploy.

 

Right?

 

“Ah, kitten, that face says a lot, don’t it? I wouldn’t walk out on you like that.” Mason lifted one of the beer bottles and took a drink. “Finn isn’t known for being the loyal kind, so don’t get your hopes up there.”

 

“Shut up, Mason. You don’t know anything.”

 

“Believe or not, I know a lot. I know that you don’t walk out on a woman like you if you got any brains in your head. Not that I’m complaining, not when it gets me alone in your bedroom with you.” Mason set the bottle down, then moved right in front of Nora. “We’ve got a few minutes, they’ll wait for us as long as we need. I can promise I’ll make ‘em worth it.” He slid down to his knees and set his hands on her hips. He was so tall, it still placed his face in line with her chest.

 

“I’ve heard about you. You only want me because you think you can make me submit to you.”

 

“I’m the one on my knees, kitten. Doesn’t seem like I’m trying to force you to submit to shit.” He nuzzled between her breasts, his warm breath soaking through her clothing.

 

Nora slid her hand into his hair in a tight grip, forcing his face up to meet hers. “You ever hear of the term ‘topping from the bottom?’ Yeah, I’m not about to fall for this ploy.”

 

“No ploy. Trust me, I get my tongue between your thighs, you’ll change your tune. Give me five minutes. Hell, give me one minute. What are you waiting on? Finn? Because he’s not here offering; I am.”

 

Nora yanked once more on his hair. “Get up, Mason. We have a job to do.”

 

He chuckled, warm breath almost tempting. Someone warm and willing who wasn’t shoving her away sure sounded nice right then. “Alright, kitten. You change your mind, you know where to find me. You want me? Just show up; no questions, no strings, nothing.” Mason stood, brushing his lips over her chest too precisely to be an accident.

 

And if it wasn’t for Finn? Hell, she’d probably have said yes.

 

They picked up Mac on the way.

 

“Did you really drag me out of bed to look at a body?” Mac yawned as he followed Nora and Mason. “And not even a nice, warm, naked one. Just a dead body.”

 

“You need a warm, naked body? I’ll send someone over.” Mason slid an arm around Nora’s waist and pulled her closer. “Everyone needs a warm, naked body.”

 

“You get your warm, naked body anywhere near me, you can add dead to the list of descriptions.” Nora gave him a sweet smile.

 

Mason laughed and pulled away. “You’re so pretty when you’re hissing.”

 

Ahead them another man stood, foot tapping and looking pissed. “Bout time. I’ve been waiting here an hour.”

 

“Sorry, Shank. Overboss was getting fucked. Takes time to wrap that up.” Mason failed to mention that he wasn’t the one fucking her, but Shank didn’t say a thing, like it didn’t matter to him one way or another.

 

“We haven’t met yet, boss. I’m Shank.” Shank tipped his hat in a way that reminded her of Nick, then pointed at a pile of blood and things she couldn’t identify. “There’s your slave.”

 

“You don’t pay me enough,” Mac said, gagging.

 

Nora pointed off to the side. “Go throw up over there, Mac. You get it on my shoes again and I’m gonna be pissed.”

 

“You’re real sweet, you know that?” Mac stumbled off to the side and his retching followed.

 

“Any way to know why the bomb was triggered?”

 

Shank shook his head. “Nah. They aren’t log books, boss. I’m going to guess she ran, triggered the collar, and got what we find here.”

 

“Can we know if she was dead before it was triggered?”

 

Shank pointed at the mess. “You can see what I can see. That’s all I got.”

 

Too bad she hadn’t brought Nick. He would have taken one look at the scene and figured it out. She should have paid more attention to what he did, but she’d never had patience for this slow finding clues bullshit.

 

Oh well. Nora crouched down, inspecting the remains. Nothing but blood and gore. Reminded her of what was left after a suicider finished. No help.

 

She walked around the outside of the area and flipped on her flashlight. Footprints, far too many to gain anything from. “You know, you could be helpful,” she called to Mac.

 

“You want me to throw up on something?”

 

“Why do I even bring you along?”

 

“Because I’m an amazing shot and a charming friend. Also, I find you as appetizing as rotten cram.”

 

“It’s that last one, for sure.”

 

Along the far side, a piece of metal caught the light. She picked it up.

 

A bottlecap for a bottle of Vadim’s moonshine. She rarely saw that outside of the Dugout Inn. Nora tucked it into her pocket.

 

“Are we going to figure this out or bullshit all night?” Shank flicked his spent cigarette into the darkness. “Because I’m tired of standing here talking about some dead slave girl.”

  

“Who was she?”

 

“Mackenzie.”

 

Nora frowned at the name. “The doctor from the marketplace?”

 

“Yeah, that’s her. Heard she was unhappy with staying around here with the raiders. Must have gotten sick of it and thought she could make a run for it.”

 

“But wouldn’t she have known the collar would trigger? It’s not like she was new.”

 

Shank shrugged. “Sure, but sometimes they think they can outsmart them. Sometimes they’ll tinker with them, put aluminum over them, all sorts of things. Course, you only fail at that once.”

 

Mac leaned into Nora’s space. “That’s the one Finn threatened, isn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, but he couldn’t be involved.”

 

“You sure? Because he didn’t come out here with us.”

 

And he’d been so cold when he’d heard where she was headed.

 

“Yeah, of course I’m sure.”

 

No, she wasn’t sure at all. Five years was a long time.

 


	12. Chapter 12

 

Mackenzie’s absence made the market empty. The other traders, the other slaves, they all moved slow, spoke softer. How had word even gotten around? Funny how one person’s absence could change a whole place, but it did.

 

Maybe it was because Nora knew she was responsible, at least in part. Mackenzie had asked her for help, but Nora had turned her down. Sure, she planned to help, and she couldn’t have realistically told the woman, but it still stung. If only Mackenzie had known, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

 

And Finn? She’d avoided him. Hell, she’d slept down the stairs where Mac crashed in case Finn was waiting for her.

 

Mac had complained, of course. He’d complained even more when Nora had turned away the woman Mason had sent for him, and reminded Nora that she was a poor substitute compared to who Mason sent.

 

She just couldn’t face Finn. Not after how he’d spoken to Mason, and not after the worries about the slaves. He’d never been cruel, not really. Could he really be involved in killing slaves?

 

He wasn’t a good man. Nora knew it in her heart. He wasn’t Nick, he wasn’t Deacon. He was a man who did whatever he had to, but then, was she any different?

 

Nora shook the thoughts away, since she’d already run them through her head all night.

 

“It’s not your fault she’d dead, you know.” Mac bumped Nora with his shoulder.

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

“No, you don’t. You’re always too busy trying to save everyone to remember that we live in a fu- in a messed-up world and sometimes people die. You can’t save everyone.”

 

“Shut up, Mac. I don’t need a lecture.”

 

“I think you do, and I think you should listen since I had deal with sleeping beside you last night. Things happen and you’ve got to let it go or you’re going to be distracted. Got it, jerk?”

 

“Yeah, I got it. You know, you’re mouthy for hired help.”

 

“Advice you get for free, and it’s the only thing you get for free from me. Now, where are we headed?”

 

“To visit Nisha. I need to ask her about the missing slaves.”

 

“Yeah, sure, let’s go wander up to the biggest psychos in this place to ask them if they killed people. Because that’s smart.”

 

“Does it make you feel better to know I’m bringing Gage?”

 

“Marginally, and only because he is a much larger target that I am.”

 

“Always practical, aren’t you?”

 

“Obviously not, since I follow you around.”

 

They grabbed Gage on their way past Fizztop Mountain.

 

The Disciples place made Nora sick. Of course, they could only have one of them throwing up, and Mac was the one to take that spot. At least he’d managed to aim for a trashcan.

 

Gage had rolled his eyes when Mac had bent his body over the trashcan, but hell, Nora had grown used to the kid’s quirks.

 

“You should consider replacing your help. He seems green. Why do you even keep him around?” Nisha’s voice was flat, like everything bored her. Hell, when you liked to dismember people conversation probably seemed pretty boring next to it.

 

“He doesn’t care for bloody body parts, but there’s no better shot in the Commonwealth.”

 

“I doubt that. Look at those arms. Can he even lift that rifle of his?”

 

Nora grinned and glanced over her shoulder at where Mac had emptied his stomach enough to stand behind her. He winked then nodded. A little showing off always settled his stomach.

 

She grabbed a tennis ball from her pack and lifted it.

 

“You making this easy for me, boss?”

 

“Just tell me when you’re ready, asshole.”

 

Mac pulled his rifle off his back and dropped to a crouch. “I’m always ready.”

 

Nora threw the ball as far as she could, thankful that the Disciples had such a large place. Mac nailed it in one shot, like she knew he would. It was an easy shot for him, but hell, it always made a point.

 

Mac grinned at Nisha. “Impressed yet? Admit it, you’re impressed.”

 

“If we’re done playing around, why are you here, Overboss?”

 

Nora laughed at the way Nisha spoke. Yeah, she’d been impressed. She just played the game well. Even Gage chuckled, though had otherwise kept his mouth shut. Then again, the raider had to know Nisha hated him.

 

“I’m here about the missing slaves.”

 

“That topic bores me.”

 

“Well, too bad. I’m sure you can guess why I’m here.”

 

“Because you figure since we’re happiest when bathing in blood that we’re the ones killing off the slaves?”

 

“Yeah, pretty much. So did you kill them?”

 

Nisha released a soft chuckle. “I like that you don’t play games, you know that? Gage plays games, but you? You’re direct. I like direct. Look, we didn’t touch those slaves. Blood is fun when someone can fight back. It’s boring when it’s slaves. Ask Shank, the disciples haven’t killed a single slave since we’ve been here, and the other groups have. We like our victims snapping and snarling.” Nisha walked up to Mac, her lips tilted up. “Will you snap and snarl for me, kid?”

 

“One, I’m not a kid. Two, no, mostly because, eww.”

 

Nora shook her head at Mac’s complete lack of tact. At least Nisha didn’t seem to mind, only laughing and stepping back. That woman would eat Mac alive. 

 

“Change your mind, you know where I am. I bet I could teach you a thing or two.”

 

“Yeah, things I don’t need to know. Thanks anyway. Boss, we done?”

 

Nora sighed but, yeah, they were. She’d check in with Shank, but it didn’t seem the Disciples were involved. Not directly, at least. Just like Mason had said.

 

Maybe she needed to ask Mason for more help. He’d been right on the money so far. Of course, that required her to actually see him, and she wasn’t exactly begging for that. He unnerved her. Maybe it was in the way he seemed so sure he’d get her, like he knew he was wearing her down, like it was only a matter of time. It did remind her of Finn, if she were honest.

 

Hell, maybe she needed to call out Nick. He’d come, she’d pay him, and he’d find some clues. No, he’d short circuit to know she was there, even if it was only temporary. He worried like an old woman.

 

No, it seemed she was on her own.

 

Oh well. She and Mac had shit to do that night anyway.

 

 

#

 

 

Nora pulled on her black top. It had taken her a while to find a proper stealth outfit, especially since she couldn’t ask Deacon for help. Finally, she’d collected enough dark gear. Black jeans, a black long sleeve shirt, nothing fancy but enough to help her stick to shadows.

 

And a few stealthboys always helped.

 

“You remember all our signals?”

 

Nora pulled on her black backpack. “Yeah. Keep your eyes open. Anything goes wrong, get out of there.”

 

“Worry about your own skin. I’ll be safe and sound on the rooftop. You’re the one who’s going to be in the line of fire if this goes wrong.”

 

“Then let’s not let it go wrong.”

 

“I miss the days when all we did was blow up shadowy organizations and huge air ships.” He yanked on her ponytail. “Seriously, Nors, be careful.”

 

Mac swung out on the edge of the lift, hauling himself up to the sit above. Good thing he was still scrawny, made the climb easier. From up there, he’d have a pretty good view of the park below through his scope.

 

Nora turned off the lift, wanting it to look like she was busy and not interested in visitors. She took the stairs down, popping a stealth boy at the bottom. 

 

First stop? Disciples. She hated that they were her closest neighbors, and sometimes the screaming she’d catch in the middle of the night gave her nightmares. She pulled herself along the wall, avoiding the few guards, while reaching into her pack.

 

She’d gotten good with explosives over the years. Take a few bullets and you realize blowing people up from a distance was the way to go. She set them, hidden, behind bushes and around doorways. In and out, easy.

 

After the Disciples, Nora did the same at the Parlor and the gates to the Pack’s territory. She didn’t enter any of them. She’d try to plant some there later. For now? She just needed the main throughways rigged.

 

The fact was, she and Mac alone couldn’t take out a park full of raiders. They were good, yeah, but that was way too much. They had to play this smart, and smart meant a hell of a lot of prep-work to lean things in her direction. Mines, explosives, maybe even a few assaultrons or turrets if she could smuggle them in.

 

A red light from Mac’s laser sight caught Nora’s attention. It spun in a circle.

 

Fuck, someone was close.

 

The light darted to the left, so Nora followed it, around the corner, just as two Operators walked by. Her back pressed against the wall, hidden until they passed.

 

At least she’d placed all the explosives. It meant even if someone caught her out there, she could explain it. She just didn’t want any eyebrows raised.

 

Raised eyebrows meant someone might go looking, and if they really wanted to look, they’d find what she’d left.

 

Nora leaned out into Mac’s line of sight and gave him a thumbs up. The red dot reappeared on the wall beside her and made a . . . heart?

 

What a smartass.

 

She turned down an alleyway, ready to head back to Fizztop Mountain. She could use some sleep before morning.

 

As she rounded another corner, someone wrapped their fingers around her arm and shoved her against a wall.  

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

 

Nora gasped as her back hit the wall hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs. It took a moment for her eyes to pick out the details of the man who held her. “Finn?”

 

“What the fuck are you doing out here?” Lines of tensions bracketed his mouth, the telltale signs of anger, if his words and the whole shoving thing hadn’t clued her in on that fact. She loved his anger.

 

She yanked against his grip, but he wouldn’t be moved. She’d never been able to get him to move when he didn't want to. “Let me go.”

 

He pulled her backpack off her while releasing her. He opened it, examining it, but she knew damned well it was empty. His fingers stroked the fabric like he could figure it out. “What are you up to?”

 

“No idea what you’re talking about. I’m just out for a walk. It’s a nice night.”

 

“Out for a walk alone at two in the morning in all black?” He flicked his fingers against the stealthboys attached to her belt. “With stealthboys? You think I got stupid over the years?”

 

“How should I know what you’re like? We’re just fucking, we ain’t married.”

 

He stilled. “You’re mad about that? Fuck, do you want Mason to have anything to use against either of us? Trust me, no one here needs any extra ammunition. Besides, was I wrong? It’s true, ain’t it?”

 

“No, it isn’t true. In case you’ve forgotten exactly how it’s done, we aren’t fucking either.” Nora shoved his shoulders then tried to pull her pack from his grip.

 

He wouldn’t release it, staring at her like she wasn’t pulling at all. “You’re right, we ain’t. Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”

 

“I don’t avoid people.”

 

“Right. You gonna try to tell me you didn’t sleep in Mac’s bed so you wouldn’t run into me?”

 

“Maybe I was just tired of sleeping alone.”

 

“Well, I’m sure Mason would offer. You two sure looked close after I left.”

 

“Fuck you, Finn. I don’t owe you an explanation.”

 

His eyes narrowed. “Does this outing of yours have anything to do with the dead slave you and Mason went to look at?”

 

“What slave are you talking about?”

 

Finn threw Nora’s backpack down then shoved her against the wall, crowding her. He wrapped his hand in her hair and tilted her head back until she looked at him. Her scalp stung, and it was exactly like the hold she’d had on Mason earlier

 

And. . . fuck. This was the Finn she’d missed. This Finn made her knees go weak and her mouth water. This was the one she couldn’t control, the one so much more. Sure, she liked him sweet, but these rough edges stroked against her own wounds in the right way. Neither of them were good people in the end, and it was one reason she wanted him, one of the reasons she’d needed him.

 

“Stay out of this, Nora. Stay away from this whole slave mess.”

 

“Why? Are you involved?”

 

“What do you think?”

 

“I think I don’t like being told what to do.”

 

He grinned and leaned in toward her ear, his thigh sliding between her legs. “You sure about that? Because you seem to like it when I tell you what to do.”

 

Nora couldn’t help it, she ground herself against his thigh. So much for pretending to be unaffected by him. Not that she’d ever managed fooling him. Even before he’d left her the first time, he could always read her.

 

His teeth scrapped over her ear. “Now, just leave this whole slave thing alone. You don’t want to get involved in it. Tell me you understand.”

 

“What in our history makes you think I’m gonna listen to you?”

 

“Figured maybe you’d learned something new.”

 

“Oh, I have.”

 

A bullet hit the brick beside Finn. He jerked to the side, further covering Nora from the threat, and it reminded her of the suicide outside of Goodneighbor, when he’d done this same thing.

 

She smiled. “I learned to have backup with me. I suggest you let me go or Mac will hit you with the next one.”

 

Finn leaned in closer. “I’m serious; let this one go.”

 

Another bullet hit the wall, closer this time, close enough chips of the wall slammed against them.

 

“I’m serious; Mac will end you.”

 

Finn pulled away, hands up.

 

Nora lifted her hand toward Mac to tell him to stand down. She didn’t think he’d kill Finn without a clearer threat, but she didn’t want to risk Finn’s life over a misunderstanding.

 

“You really should leave.” Finn took another step away from her. “This place has a lot of secrets.”

 

“So do you.”

 

“And so do you. One happy fucking family, huh?”

 

“All we’re missing is that white picket fence.”

 

He laughed and shook his head. “Right. That fence would fix all this. Goodnight, Nora.”

 

“Goodnight, Finn.”

 

After Finn left, Nora drug herself back to Fizztop Mountain. She ran into no one else, and the dot of red made her feel less alone. At least Mac was always watching over her. Even is she couldn't figure Finn out, couldn't fucking manage that, she had Mac. 

 

Back at her place, Mac sat at the bar, waiting for her. “You keep this up, you’re gonna give me gray hair.”

 

“Sorry. It’s not like I got a heads up from you. What good is a look out if you missed Finn?”

 

“I have no idea where he came from. The bastard’s fast, I guess. We were clear, then he was there. You okay? He figure us out?”

 

Nora shook her head. “No. He warned me off the slave issue and told me to stay out of it.”

 

Mac’s long fingers tapped the bar top, his face serious. “Look, boss, I know you’re all head over heels for him-“

 

“-I am not.”

 

“But you need to get your head on straight. Don’t think I didn’t notice that bottecap you picked up. Finn would know about that moonshine.”

 

“So could anyone who has been to Diamond City.”

 

“He threatened the girl who died.”

 

“She was a slave. Lot’s of people threatened her.”

 

“He doesn’t want you looking into this.”

 

That one was harder to explain, but hell, she was up for a challenge. “He also wants me to leave, has since I got here. It doesn’t mean he had anything to do with the slaves dying.”

 

Mac release a long sigh. He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair in a frustrating raking of his fingers. “Nora, I love you like a sister, but you’re being stupid right now. That was a lot of roughness I just saw, the sort that makes me nervous about leaving you alone. Why don’t I hang out up here tonight, huh?”

 

“You’ve got it all wrong. It’s fine, I promise.”

 

“Fine. Right. Get some sleep and think this through. I don’t want to see you get killed off after everything we’ve been through just because you’re seeing good in people that isn’t there.” Mac lifted his hand when Nora went to argue. “Just think about what I said, okay?”

 

“Yeah, sure. I will, Mac.”

 

He kissed her check the left, leaving Nora alone in her quarters, alone to think about everything.

 

Was she letting her feelings for Finn cloud her judgement?

 

Nora fell back on the bed with an unhappy groan.

 

The answer to that was pretty obvious, wasn’t it?

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

 

“Nora, think about this.” Mac tried to grab her arm but his fingers slipped off. 

 

“Fuck thinking about it.” Nora broke into a jog, leaving Mac to catch up.

 

Harvey, the slave who had tried to trick her into Nuka World because he’d had to, laid on the ground curled into a ball. Two raiders from the Operators kicked him, towering over him, laughing.

 

Fuck that nonsense. 

 

Nora tackled the one closest to her. They smacked into the ground and rolled, Nora nailing her with a punch to her side. The ground scraped her arms, dirt digging in.

 

“Whoa, there.” Mac’s voice told her he’d pulled his rifle on the other raider.

 

After two more rolls, where Nora took a blow to her chin and a knee to her ribs, they separated and got to their feet.

 

“The fuck is wrong with you?” The woman’s chest rose and fall as she caught her breath.

 

“Me? You were the one kicking a man who can’t defend himself!” Nora walked over and stuck her hand out to Harvey.

 

He took her hand, getting up slow, eyes avoiding hers. “Sorry to cause problems, Overboss.”

 

“What’s this about?”

 

The woman spoke up before Harvey got the chance. “He was talking shit! Complaining about his place, figured we ought to help him find his place.”

 

“So, you think you get to kick the shit out of him?”

 

The woman drew her eyebrows together like it was the dumbest question she’d ever heard. “Yeah, pretty much. It’s sort of what we do.”

 

Nora pointed her finger at the woman. “Not on my watch. I ever see that again and I’ll string you up myself as a warning to not fuck with me.”

 

Their little show had pulled in more people like a force of nature. Everyone loved a good spectacle. A few more Operators, some Disciples, Pack, a great mixture of people who all fidgeted, tensions and violence so close to the surface that Mac tightened his grip and took a step backward.

 

“Slaves are fair game, Overboss,” the woman snapped. “Always have been.”

 

“Not anymore, they aren’t. My park, my rules.”

 

The woman took a step forward, like the blade of the entire group, like the weapon they all pushed forward. 

 

“Stay put if you want to live,” Mac shouted.

 

“Fuck you! You don’t get to come in here and change shit. Maybe it’s time for a new Overboss, one who knows how shit is supposed to run, a real raider!” A few cheered before her in support.

 

Nora set her hand on her pistol. This was not going well.

 

“Well, what do we have here?” Had Finn’s voice ever sounded so fucking good?

 

“She thinks she can tell us what to do.” The woman jammed a finger toward Nora.

 

“Seeing as she’s Overboss, pretty fucking sure she can.”

 

“Maybe she doesn’t deserve to be Overboss.”

 

Finn laughed and walked in front of Nora. His shoulders had pulled back, cigarette between his fingers. It was amazing how people backed away from him, the fear that skirted across their faces. Yeah, Finn had a reputation, and she saw that reputation in the faces of each raider who didn’t want to cross him.

 

“Were you in the arena? Did you see her tear apart the Gauntlet and take out Colter? Let me fucking guess it’s a big fat no, because if you were, you wouldn’t say shit right now. If you were you'd be hiding somewhere really god damned far from her.”

 

“She doesn’t look that tough.”

 

“Nah, she doesn’t. Course, that didn’t help Colter, did it? Didn’t help the three Pack members who attacked her. Didn’t help the Institute or the Brotherhood. So, are you fucking stupid enough to be the one to try?”

 

She pressed her lips together for a moment, then shrunk back into the crowd. Coward.

 

“Right, that’s what I thought. How about you all drag your asses home before you do something that’ll get ya killed.”

 

The crowd dispersed, a lot of shuffling and grumbling, but none loud enough to draw attention. Like they all wanted to bitch but no one wanted to be noticed bitching. Was it Nora or Finn they were afraid of?

 

What a pair they made, huh?

 

“I’m really sorry,” Harvey said, face lowered, arm pinned to his side. Blood ran down his lip.

 

Nora grasped his chin and gently lifted his face to hers despite the way he resisted the touch. “Not your fault, Harvey. Are you okay?”

 

Finn grabbed Nora’s arm and pulled her away. “He’s fine. Harvey, get the fuck out of here before someone takes another shot, huh? And keep your mouth shut from now on.”

 

Harvey stumbled away at a run.

 

Nora yanked at his grip. “Don’t talk to him like that. You’re not in charge here. Why do I have to keep reminding you of that?”

 

“This ain’t a conversation to have out here tonight.” Finn let go of her arm. “Get your ass to bed.”

 

“You can’t order me around.”

 

Finn leaned in close enough that Nora could taste the cigarette smoke that poured off his lips. “Get off the street, Nora. You either take your ass to your bed or mine.”

 

Mac spoke up from behind her, his voice a plea that she’d bet he knew she wouldn’t listen to. “Boss, maybe we ought to get back to your place.”

 

“Go on, Mac. I’m fine on my own.” Nora didn’t take her gaze from Finn, but the cursing from Mac as he stormed off was hard to miss.

 

“Well then, let’s go.”

 

Nora followed him, through the streets, beside him and just behind. Neither spoke as they entered his place. Nora shut the door and slid the lock into place after she entered.

 

Finn moved up against her, pinning her against the door, crowding her. “You want to go? Probably a good idea. You can run on home right now.”

 

“Are you finally done with the sweet thing? Because this is the Finn I remember, the one I missed.”

 

He set his hands on either side of her head and leaned in. “I tried the sweet shit, but you know what? You keep almost getting yourself killed and that drives it outta me. I’m sick of seeing you bruised up and bleeding. Makes me want to fuck some sense into you and see if maybe I can keep you out of trouble for five fucking minutes. You gonna let me do that?”

 

Nora wrapped her fingers into his shirt pulling him closer. “Yeah, I am. I’ve been waiting for this side of you again.”

 

“Why? Don’t women want sweet? I fucking tried to be a perfect gentleman.”

 

“I want you. I want the you that snarls and snaps and growls. I want the you that shoves me up against a wall and fucks me. I want the you who whispers filthy things into my ear. I don’t want who you think I want, I just want you.”

 

Finn grabbed her thighs and pulled them up around his waist. “Yeah, well, you’re about to fucking get me, sweetheart.”

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

 

Nora’s back hit the door as Finn sandwiched her between it and his body. She’d missed that body, all hard lines and scars. She’d missed how he used it, how he pinned her, how she knew every dip and line of it. She tightened her thighs around his waist, so he ran his now free hands up her sides as he kissed her.

 

She licked whiskey and smoke and anger from his lips, a taste she’d never get enough of, a taste that was all Finn. He’d never be Deacon, or Mac, or anyone else.

 

Nora bit down on his lip when he turned them, pulling her from the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“Bed.”

 

“Too far.” She unwrapped her legs and pulled him down to the floor on top of her.

 

“Fuck, sweetheart, I’m not as young as I used to be.”

 

“You like to think and I’m not giving you that chance. Suck it up, huh?” She fumbled with his pants, shoving them down his hips.

 

He did the same with hers, neither taking the time to disrobe fully. His hand closed around her hip and rolled her onto all four, her pants tangled around her knees, but hell, at least it saved her knees from digging into the splintered floor.

 

His fingers pressed into her, groaning at how they slid into her heat. “You got any clue how many times I’ve thought about you since I’ve been gone? Shit, you live rent free in my head.”

 

Nora’s fingers dug into the floor and she shifted her hips, trying to get more of him. “Then get to it, would you? Unless you’ve forgotten how to do this. Need a diagram? A manual?”

 

His chuckle filled the space, but it only made Nora anxious. Amused Finn wasn’t always something good. Amused Finn said she might be in some trouble. He fit his cock against her folds and paused. “You let me know if I get this wrong, huh?” His fingers slid into her hair and yanked her head back and he pushed into her. Yeah, he sure remembered. 

 

He didn’t go hard, didn’t go to fast, just a slow but insistent pace as he filled her. A pathetic sound escaped Nora’s lips, one she’d have been ashamed of any other time. He didn’t rush, going as slow as he wanted to, like he was reminding her that this was his way, not hers.

 

“Fuck, you’re just as tight as I remember, pretty girl. You really haven’t been with anyone else, have you?”

 

She shook her head, but the motion didn’t go far since his hand still held her head back.

 

“Maybe it’s petty, but I like that. I like that you’ve been wanting me, that you needed me.

 

It took a moment before he’d slid all the way in, when he paused, his body pressed against hers. He released her hair and ran his hand down the curve of her back. She shivered against the touch, even through her shirt. Her body adjusted, her breathing hard and fast, as his hands gripped her hips. She’d missed this, feeling full, taken, the slight twitch his cock would do inside her that reminded her how much he wanted her.

 

Still, he waited, and the lack of thrusting had her hips moving on instinct, trying to get friction, something, anything.

 

His thumb rubbed over her hip like he was soothing her. “Give it a second, sweetheart.”

 

“Fuck your second.” She squeezed her cunt around him, drawing a sharp inhale from him.

 

“You’re still trouble, ain’t ya?” He gripped her tighter, but pulled out before thrusting back into her, deep.

 

Nora let her head hang forward as he fell into a rhythm. How did he do this? How did he shrink the whole world to just them? It was part of what drew her to him in the first place, the way all the shit disappeared when he pushed into her, the way he made it about just them.

 

The raiders? The slaves? Mac? None of that pressed into her right then, like there wasn’t room for anything but him.

 

She lost herself in it, closing her eyes, not even pushing back against him because he held her, moved her as he wanted, took her as hard as he wanted. But, fuck, it was what she wanted, too.  

 

His rhythm dissolved, going harder, faster. Those fingers tightened around her before he came, filling her, holding her still. He leaned forward as he slid out of her and pressed a kiss to her back, lips soft and sweet, that edge that said even if he fucked her hard, he still cared about her.  

 

His grip moved her over to her back before he slid her pants and panties the rest of the way off. Nora expected him to help her to the bed, to be done for the night, but leave it to Finn to always shock the fuck out of her.

 

He pressed her thighs wide and settled his shoulders between them. His tongue slid up her cunt.

 

She jerked back. “What are you doing?”

 

Finn caught her gaze from between her thighs, his eyebrow cocked up. “Why’re you acting shocked, sweetheart? Ain’t like I haven’t done this to you plenty of times before.”

 

“Not after you’ve, well, you know.” Heat covered her cheeks, his breath blowing over, reminding her of how wet she was from herself and from his come. Leave it to Finn to excite her, to make her realize she wanted something she’d have called disgusting before. Always pushing her limits, probably because he really didn’t care what people thought.

 

Finn nipped at the inside of her thigh, dragging his teeth over the flesh until she whimpered. “You think that bothers me? I don’t give a fuck.”

 

“It’s weird.”

 

“Fuck weird. Fuck normal. Fuck what we’re supposed to be. I’ve spent five years trying to tell myself that we’re supposed to be something different. You and I? We’re who we are and maybe I’m finally ready to admit it. We ain’t other people, and that’s okay. I used to think we’d just destroy each other, but now I wonder if we ain’t the only people we wouldn’t destroy, maybe we’re the only ones twisted enough to survive each other. I don’t give a fuck that you’ve got my come in you, or that I’m about to lick it out. Now, lay back and let me work, would ya?” He didn’t wait for her to answer before he pressed his tongue against her clit. His fingers pulled the hood of her clit back so he could run his tongue over the sides of it, and he ignored the way her hips moved at the direct contact.

 

It was almost too much, but he never stopped, never slowed. His fingers of his other hand slid into her, hooking forward. Even when she squirmed, trying to soften his touch, he didn’t listen. He knew what he wanted her to take, and demanded she take it. That drove her higher, the way he knew her well enough to know exactly what she needed even when she didn’t. Her nails dug into the floorboards as her back arched up, off the floor. He bit down on her clit, sending her over that edge.

 

He helped her ride out the orgasm, fingers stroking her through each wave, each shudder. His long fingers slid out of her, and she sighed at the loss. He pressed one last kiss to her cunt before he moved up her body to kiss her lips.

 

She could taste herself, and his come, on his lips, his tongue. It was filthy, and wrong, and pretty much everything the two of them were, the truth that they’d always be, so she kissed him back. She returned his passion, all that pent-up need. Five years was a long fucking time to wait.

 

“Worth the fucking wait, I gotta say.” Finn took her hand and helped her to her feet.

 

They both winced as they stood, reminded that they might not have been as young as they once were. Sex on a floor took its toll now, joints complaining, reminding her she wasn’t twenty anymore.

 

Nora laughed as she took a good look around. She hadn’t gotten a chance to look around the last time she’d been there. It suited him, quiet and simple and deceptively innocent. An open crate in the corner caught her attention. The items inside glimmered from the one light bulb above them.

 

“What’s that?” She didn’t need to ask though, did she? It was pretty obvious.

 

“Oh, I have ‘em shipped in. Only person he ships this far for.” Finn pulled her toward the stairs. “You gonna come sleep in my bed finally, or you gonna make me beg?”

 

Nora nodded, unable to speak. She followed him upstairs and crawled into the bed beside him, wrapped herself around him.

 

Even when her eyes slid closed, she couldn’t get rid of the sight of that crate, the bottles of Vadim’s Moonshine in them. The bottlecaps haunted her dreams, exactly like the one she’d found beside Mackenzie's body.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Nora winced as she stepped off the lift. Rough sex will do that, make it so sitting and moving ached, this pull deep down inside of her that reminded her of what she’d done. Maybe Finn was right, maybe she was twisted, because she loved it. Each time that soreness crept up into her, she smiled.

 

Then she remembered the moonshine.

 

It had to be a coincidence, right? There had to be an explanation, something other than the idea that Finn was killing slaves.

 

Why would he even do that? Mason thought it was a serial killer, but Finn had never struck her as the type. Hell, he’d had more than enough chances to kill her.

 

Unless he just didn’t want to kill her. That almost made her feel rejected, and how fucked up was that?

 

There were no strategic reasons to kill slaves that she could see. Mackenzie had wanted freedom, and maybe that was it? Maybe he was afraid of the slaves revolting? Getting rid of problem slaves? That wouldn't make sense either, though. Finn was practical, and the smart choice would have been to make an example of those slaves, not to kill them quietly. Or, as quietly as exploding their collars was.  

 

She could just ask him, but he’d lie. He didn’t trust her, but she didn’t trust him either. They had a lot of shit between the, but trust wasn’t one of them. He was playing his angle, she was playing hers, and she was terrified they’d end up on different sides.

 

“Good to see you’re alive.” Mac sat on a stool, feet up on the bar, face as pissed as she’d seen in a while. He was level headed most of the time, snarky but never that angry. At least, not normally.

 

“Morning, Mac.”

 

“Don’t you ‘morning Mac’ me, Nora. You have any idea what sitting around last night was like for me? No idea if that fucker had raped and killed you, no idea if you were ever coming back or if I was sitting here waiting for corpse.” The fact that Mac hadn’t even tried to stop the curse had Nora cringing. He had to be angry to ignore the promise he’d made to Duncan.

 

“He’s not like that.”

 

“Right. Look, I knew Finn and I know the shit he’s done. He isn’t some innocent man. And, right, because it’s not like he’s up to shit. We both know he’s involved somehow. Even if he isn’t responsible, he knows who is and you’re just dancing around it. You’re ignoring the very real possibility that he is the killer we’ve been looking for.”

 

“Don’t worry about me.”

 

Mac got off the seat and grabbed Nora by her shoulders, shaking her hard. She was reminded that, while he might be Mac, non-threatening little brother to her, he was also a man who could be pushed too far. “It’s my fucking job to worry about you! We’re more than friends, we’re family, and I’m watching you put yourself into danger and I can’t do anything about it. A raider wants to kill you? I’m there. You want to fuck one who seems determined to get you killed? I can’t help.”

 

Nora pulled away. “What do you want me to say?”

 

“Something, anything, because you haven’t said anything, yet. You haven’t explained any of it. I’ve seen you do some amazing things, but I don’t get why he does this to you, why you’re letting him twist you up like this, why you're being so blind about him.”

 

“I fucking love him, okay?” Nora took a deep breath after saying that, after admitting it. Damn, it hurt worse when she let that truth out. “We started this back when I worked with Deacon, it’s why Deacon won’t work with me anymore. Finn was the one to call it off, to leave me, because he thought we were bad for each other. And then I showed up here, and it’s like five years never passed. I’m drowning again, just like last time.”

 

“You have terrible taste in men, you know that? I mean, why not cuddle up with a deathclaw if you have a death wish.”

 

Nora collapsed down on the couch, raking her fingers through her hair. The moving had her wincing again. “Yeah, I know. Trust me, I know. But, look, you and Lucy, you guys weren’t exactly the best pairing but you loved each other. You should understand that sometimes things aren’t smart but they’re right.”

 

Mac crouched down in front of Nora, forcing her to look at him. “Wrong example. Tell me what happened to Lucy.”

 

“She died.” Nora whispered the answer.

 

“Yeah, she did. Maybe if she’d picked someone else, someone safer, she’d still be alive. I don’t want you to end up like her. She didn’t deserve that, and neither do you. Tell me you’re gonna start thinking, please. Because I don’t want to have to bury you just because you have some stupid fantasy about love.”

 

Nora wanted to tell him about the bottle. She should tell him.

 

But she couldn’t. So instead, she nodded. “I promise.”

 

“Good. Since I couldn’t sleep anyway, I got the Disciple’s place rigged last night.”

 

“How did you manage that?”

 

Mac shuddered. “I had dinner with Nisha. I need a bath and you owe me a hell of a lot of caps.”

 

“How’d you get out of there?" Nora put her hand over her mouth in mock horror. "Oh, god, you didn’t sleep with her, did you?”

 

“No. I’m pretty sure she takes prizes afterward and I’d like to keep my goods. I faked performance problems, though I didn’t have to fake much, let me tell you. No part of that place was causing any movement downstairs. So, if you hear rumors about my junk not working right, well, it doesn’t. Not for her.”

 

Nora pulled Mac into a hug. “You’re a good friend, you know that?”

 

He patted her back. “Yeah, I know it. What are we doing today?”

 

“Today, you earned your break. Tonight, I’m following your trick and having dinner with Mason.”

 

Mac pulled away and groaned. “Not sure he’s any better than Finn. You just keep your panties on, huh?”

 

“Nice. Classy, Mac.”

 

“No, classy would be me not needing to say it.”

 

“Well, you’re going to come with me and help.”

 

“Then you better keep everything on, because I’m am not watching you have sex with Mason. That’s one of those lines our friendship can’t come back from.”

 

Nora shoved Mac’s shoulder so he toppled backward. “You’re going to give me a complex. Look, I figure a two-man job is going to work better. I’ll distract him with a nice private dinner, you pop a stealthboy and plant the mines. An hour or less and we’ve got the place done. His will be the hardest anyway, he’s more suspicious than the other.”

 

“Fine. We’ll meet at sundown. Now, I’m going to go bathe in some acid and see if I can’t scrub my date with Nisha away.”

 

Nora laughed as Mac left, and she went to find something to wear.

 

She had an alpha to distract.

 


	17. Chapter 17

 

“Well, kitten, aren’t you a sight?” Mason stood in front of his throne on the stage, his arms crossing over his chest. Damn, he was large. It was obvious when he stood above her like that. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

 

What a lie. The way his lips tilted up at the corners said the smug bastard had expected her to show at some point.

 

Nora pulled at the hem of her dress, unable to help the action. She hadn’t worn a stupid red dress like this since the last time Hancock had forced her into it for a party. Dresses like this made her uncomfortable, like a lie. She wasn’t this woman, the one who dressed up and tempted men and flirted. But, she wanted Mason distracted, and this was distracting.

 

“You told me if I needed company to come visit. I thought maybe we’d have some dinner, if you’re free.”

 

He laughed and strode forward, sliding a hand to her lower back as he led her toward the backstage area where the Pack lived. “Of course. Dinner’s why you came? Sure, let’s play that game.”

 

“What game?”

 

He leaned in, lips against her ear. “The one where you pretend you aren’t here for me to fuck you. Don't worry, I’ll play along, for now.”

 

Nora wanted to argue, but her pride was less important than her mission. Besides, if he thought that’s why they were there, he’d be even more distracted, and Mac needed every opening he had.

 

They walked toward the backstage.

 

“You get done with her and she still had some miles on her, send her my way,” a pack member said as they passed him before he grabbed his crotch and gestured toward her.

 

Nora straightened, ready to tell him off, but she never got the chance.

 

Mason pulled his rifle, aimed, and fired a single shot into the center of the man’s chest. “Overboss isn’t for scraps, asshole.” His steps never faltered, never slowed, like the whole exchange hadn’t happened, like he hadn’t just gunned down a man just for hitting on her.

 

It rattled her, enough that she went, docile as could be. He snapped a command to get out once they reached the back, where his room was. Everyone went skittering off except one slave who stood, head down.

 

“You. Get some dinner for us. What would you like, kitten?” Funny how sweet his voice went when he spoke to her. 

 

Nora took the seat across from him. “Um, I don’t know. Anything.” She knew her words came out soft, weak. She wasn’t someone with a weak stomach, but something about the ease in which Mason had killed that man startled her. Maybe it was a reminder that she and Mac weren’t playing a game here. If Mason thought for a moment what the real reason she was there was, he’d kill her.

 

Mason took the seat across from her. “You look green. Gotta say, figured you for someone with a stronger stomach. You gunned down Colter without flinching, in fact, I heard about how you kicked his body afterward.”

 

“Colter wasn’t someone who just made a stupid comment.”

 

“Nah, he was dumber than that, I’ll give you that. However, that pack member? He was challenging you, he was challenging me. He was trying to show us both up by putting you down and that shit doesn’t fly here, can’t fly. You let that go and you end up dead. I don’t let shit go like that and it’s why I’m alpha.”

 

Nora didn’t have a chance to respond before the slave returned and put a plate of food down in front each of them, then scuttled off. She poked at it with a fork.

 

“Not gonna eat?”

 

“You might have poisoned it.”

 

He laughed and leaned over the table, taking a bite of her food. “I don’t drug women. They come in my bed willingly. Go on, eat, unless you’ve got something else you wanted to do.”

 

Nora quickly reached down with her fork to take a bite, causing Mason to laugh again.

 

Out of the corner of Nora’s eye, a piece of fabric moved. Mac. Had to be.

 

“I heard about your little show about that slave,” Mason said, drawing Nora’s attention back.

 

“How did you hear about that?”

 

“Everyone knows. You sure you’re making rules you want to have to enforce? Because raiders have always been able to blow off steam on the slaves. One of the benefits to being a raider.”

 

Nora loosened her hand so the fork didn’t bend in her grip. “They were cowards and I don’t abide by cowards. No person worth the breath they draw attacks a man who can’t fight back.”

 

Mason took a drink, eyeing her in a way that made her shift in the chair. “You’re surprisingly soft-hearted, you know that? Wouldn’t figure that for someone who decides to take the reins for a place like this. This place eats soft people alive unless they got someone helping ‘em.”

 

What he didn’t say was loud and clear.

 

“Are you trying to be that person?”

 

He shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Wouldn’t mind being that person. Let’s not fuck around the point, you need help. Gage is slimy and had a history of getting people killed. Finn? Don’t know what the two of you have going on, but I notice you’re here, so it can’t be that much. Come on, kitten, you side with me and I think we’ll both enjoy it.”

 

“What do I get out of it?”

 

“Help, for one. The Pack stays in line because I know how to keep ‘em in line. I can teach you that.” His gaze drifted down, past her face, over her cleavage. “There are some other benefits I can offer, as well.”

 

A snap behind him had Mason turning, but Nora shifted, letting the strap of her dress fall off her shoulder. Mason never had a chance. He ignored the sound, which had to be Mac setting an explosive, and zeroed in on strap. His lips curved up.

 

Nora pretended to not notice the strap.

 

Mason stood. “I never did show you around back here, did I?” He held a hand out for her.

 

Nora took his hand, and he pulled her up hard enough she fell against him. He grinned as he slid a finger beneath that fallen strap, setting it back into place, fingers dancing across her skin far too long to be an innocent touch.

 

He walked her through a few rooms, commenting on furniture, trophies, speaking of the men he’d killed to get them all. She’d catch sight of Mac now and then in the ruffle of some fabric or the reflection of some light as the stealthboy struggled.

 

The last room was no shock to her. Mason walked her into a room and leaned against the doorframe, blocking her in. “This is the bedroom. This has to do with those other benefits I mentioned, kitten.”

 

A reflection of light caught in the corner. Great, Mac had gotten trapped in the room. Nora shifted closer to distract Mason, to get him to move from the doorway and give Mac a path out.

 

She slid her fingers along his stomach, wrapping them into the waistband of his pants and pulling him away from the door.

 

Mason wasn’t one to follow directions, though. He flipped them, pushing her back against the wall. He legs knocked into something she couldn’t see.

 

Mac?

 

Someone pinched her calf hard enough she gasped. Yeah, that was Mac.

 

Mason took the sound as an invitation. He wrapped an arm around the small of her back and yanked her against him, pressing his lips against hers.

 

Maybe Nora would have enjoyed it if Mac wasn’t continuing to pinch her. Right, she wasn’t exactly having fun making out over him either.

 

Nora pulled away and walked toward the bed. Animals liked a chase, right? If she couldn't muscle him away from the door, maybe she could tempt him there.

 

She sat on the bed, letting the hemline of her dress slide up to reveal most of her thigh. Mason took the bait, prowling toward the bed.

 

Mac flickered into sight as he switched from one stealthboy to the next, his face the same one kids have when they walk in on their parents screwing. He covered his eyes like a ten year old, gave a thumbs up to tell her they were set, then popped his next stealthboy. She caught sight of a light reflection as he exited.

 

Good, she could get out of there.

 

At least, until Mason crawled on top of her, his lips skimming her collarbone, teasing the line where her dress covered.  And, yeah, the man was good with his mouth, there was no doubt about that. He peppered gentle bites across her flesh, scraped his teeth against her until she had almost forgotten why she was here.

 

His hands slid the dress up, and then she remembered the problem.

 

He wasn’t Finn. It didn’t matter how good he was, he wasn’t Finn.

 

Mason laughed, his breath spilling over her, drawing goosebumps up. “Is it Finn? Can’t be that kid you drag around, you two ain’t got no chemistry at all.” He slid his pelvis between her thighs, but lifted his chest so he could look down at her.

 

“Who?”

 

“The man who has you all twisted up. Let’s be honest, I get those panties off, you’re soaking wet, aren’t you? But then that head of yours starts going and you pull back. So, who is it that you’re thinking of? My bet is on Finn.”

 

“Shut up.” Nora shoved at his shoulder, but he didn’t move an inch.

 

“Yeah, Finn then. Figured as much. What do you see in him? I mean, that you don’t see in me. Because, I know him pretty fucking well, and he’s at least as bad as I am. We’re almost two of a kind: vicious, stubborn, dominant. What about him gets you going that I ain’t got? Because, he clearly ain’t filling all your needs, kitten, but you keep pushing me away when I want to do just that.”

 

Nora frowned as she considered his question. Hadn’t Finn said the same thing? That she had a thing for men who were bad for her, and Mason was bad for her, too. Why was Finn different? In what world could she defend how she felt about Finn, but look at Mason as being beneath her?

 

“I have this piece of chest armor. Mac gets pissed that I wear it because it bruises my side, but it stopped a knife someone tried to drive into my ribs, so I keep it. It hurts, and it’s ugly, and it may look exactly like fifty other pieces of chest armor, but it’s mine. See, I’ve been through a lot with it, and it’s saved my life a few times, and it’s never let me down. No one else wants it, and I don't want any other piece. That’s Finn. He’s not always comfortable, and maybe other people can see the difference between him and anyone else, but he’s mine, and he doesn’t let me down.”

 

Mason pressed his lips into a thin line before releasing a soft huff. “Yeah, well, when that armor chafing too much, and it will, you come find me.” He leaned in for one more kiss, one that Nora returned this time, before he pulled off her. “Get on out of here. I need to find a more willing body to work out some frustration, alright kitten? And remember what I said, because I’m still offering.”

 

Nora rushed out and tried very hard not to consider his offer, or how stupid her defense of Finn had sounded, even to her own ears.

 

She made it back to the Fizztop Mountain without any problems, but Mac didn’t look very happy.

 

“I did the best I could and I stayed clothed.”

 

“What?” Mac looked at her like he hadn’t noticed she’d even arrived. “Oh, no, it went fine. I got everything set up.”

 

Nora walked in, almost afraid to ask. “What happened, Mac? What’s wrong.”

 

Mac sighed, sliding his hand through his hair in the way that said things weren’t going like he wanted them to. “I just got word. They found Harvey’s body outside the gates. He’s gone, Nora. His collar exploded just like the others.”

 


	18. Chapter 18

Nora slid into Finn’s place, having ditched Mac with an excuse of going to bed. He didn’t need to know where she was going. He’d only worry; he’d only bitch and moan.

 

And he’d probably be right.

 

But right then? Nora couldn’t find herself caring if Finn was involved. She didn’t care if he’d lied to her, if he was destroying her all over again, if she was destroying him. There was only one place she wanted to be.

 

She’d failed another person.

 

Mackenzie had been tough, but Harvey? Fuck. Why did it have to be him? He was sweet, too soft for this life, and now he was dead. Nora wasn’t moving fast enough to save them.

 

Inside, Finn sat on the couch, book in his lap.

 

He read? Why didn’t Nora know that?

 

Probably because she’d never bothered to know much about him, not really. They’d fallen into whatever they had but never really gotten to know each other.

 

He set the book down and stood when he saw her. “Well, look who it is. Nice dress. Bet Mason liked it.”

 

She sighed and turned to leave. Stupid to think she could come here, to want this to be her refuge. She should have known better by then.

 

Finn grabbed her arm and pulled her back around, a touch gentler than she’d expected. “You ain’t up to fighting weight tonight, are ya?”

 

“Can we just not fight tonight?”

 

He frowned but nodded, then pulled her into a tight hug. “Yeah, sure, sweetheart. Not like we won’t have a chance to start it back up tomorrow. Hard day?”

 

“Harvey’s dead.”

 

Finn nodded but showed no surprise. “I’m sorry. I know you cared about him. He was too gentle for this life, though. Was only a matter of time before someone took advantage of that fact.”

 

“Someone like you?”

 

He pressed a kiss to her temple and got her to sit on the couch beside him, pulling her against his side. “I thought you didn’t want to fight tonight.”

 

“I don’t. What are you reading? I didn’t know you read.”

 

His breath ruffled her hair as he chuckled. “I’m not as stupid as I may seem. I read.”

 

Nora grabbed the book from the table. “Proust?”

 

He took the book and tucked it beneath the cushion. “I heard someone mention it once. Stop worrying about it.” Defensive much?

 

But, the reason didn’t escape Nora. Deacon had read Proust, had mentioned it. Was that it? Was he still trying to compete somehow, still trying to become someone else? Stupid, since Nora hadn’t picked Deacon, had never wanted Deacon. But, if she’d learned one thing, it was that Finn didn’t have the confidence he pretended to have, especially when it came to her.

 

“I didn’t sleep with Mason.”

 

His grip tightened around her, pulling her closer. “Good. I mean, I wouldn’t hold it against ya if you had. Not a lot I’d probably hold against you, really. Besides, sex is just sex, I get that, probably better than most. Fuck half the raiders here, I wouldn’t care. But, Mason? I told you, he’s too much like me. Makes me worried you’ll trade up. So, I’m glad you didn’t.”

 

“It wasn’t like that.”

 

“No? Because I ain’t never seen you dressed up like that before. You don’t doll up like that for a dinner between friends.”

 

Nora frowned, pulling down the hemline of the dress again. “I wanted to be charming and tempting, okay? He’s made it pretty clear he’s interested, and I thought he might talk a little more freely with me dressed like this.”

 

“You’re a lot of things, but charming ain’t one of them. Good thing you’re tempting enough for people to overlook that. What were you trying to charm out of him, huh?”

 

“I needed information. I’m on my own out here, trying to figure things out that I don’t understand. Mac’s a good shot, but he doesn’t know anything about raiders, not really. Mason’s been the friendliest of the raiders, my only shot at an ally.” It was true, even if she was leaving out the explosives.

 

Mason was the only one of the raiders she might consider trusting. Not very far, but far enough that he could be useful. She’d even started to hope that maybe she wouldn’t have to kill him. Maybe he’d see reason.

 

“You have me.”

 

“Yeah, but you lie to me. I can’t trust you, not really. Not sure I can call you an ally when you won’t be honest with me.”

 

Finn ran his fingers over her arm in light strokes. “I may lie to you, but you can still trust me. I didn’t kill those slaves. I know you think I did, or you think I might have, but I didn’t do it. Not that I wouldn’t if I needed to, but I didn’t.”

 

“So who did? You can’t tell me you aren’t involved, that you don’t know. I found your bottle cap near Mackenzie’s body, and you fought with the last two before they died.”

 

“Again, I thought you didn’t want to fight. Let it go, sweetheart, for tonight.”

 

Nora snuggled in closer to him. Yeah, he was right. She didn’t want the truth right then. She wanted to pretend shit wasn’t falling in around her.

 

“So, you gonna tell me how far Mason got? Because we both know it would be a fucking lie that he didn’t try, and he’s pretty damn good at getting people where he wants ‘em.”

 

Nora shifted over, slipping into his lap, knees pressing against his hips. “Do you really care?”

 

“Just want to know what I’m competing with.”

 

Nora reached between them, unbuttoning his pants. “Why are you always trying to compete?”

 

“Because when you want something bad enough, you start worrying about other people taking it away. Never felt competitive before, but I never had something I was worried about losing before, either.”

 

Nora wrapped her fingers around him and pulled him from the confines of his pants, savoring his deep groan at the contact. “I’m not a chew toy, you know, something for you and Mason to play tug-a-war with.”

 

“Trust me, sweetheart, I don’t like having to-“ He hissed when she slid her panties out of the way and sunk down onto his length. “-fuck, warn me next time, huh?”

 

Nora drug her teeth over his bottom lip. “You were saying?”

 

“I don’t like being jealous. Ain’t a good look for me, I know it, but come on, have a little mercy why don’t you?. How far he’d get?”

 

Nora placed her hands on Finn’s shoulders and set a slow, easy pace. “Not far. Like you said, I’m not that charming.”

 

“Yeah, well, charm doesn’t count for shit when you want something. I keep trying to turn you down, but look where we are. Now stop stalling and tell me.”

 

“He kissed me, tried to get me to give into more, but he stopped when he realized something.”

 

Finn’s hands held her waist. “Yeah? What did he realize?”

 

“That I wasn’t interested, that I was didn’t want him.”

 

“And why didn’t you want him? Come on, sweetheart, everyone wants him. Fuck, if I swung that way, I’d want him.”

 

Nora laughed softly while she kept the slow, deliberate movement going. “I know you said you aren’t stupid, but sometimes I wonder. After all we’ve been through, do you really need to ask me that?”

 

Finn caught Nora by the back of her neck, pulling her down so he slid into her as deep as he could, and so she stared into his eyes. “Yeah, I really do.”

 

“Because I love you, you idiot. It doesn’t matter if it’s smart or stupid or safe or anything else. Doesn’t matter if you push me away, if we lie to each other, if we fuck each other over, I love you. Now, shut up and let me fuck you already, because you’re distracting me.”

 

Finn laughed and stole one kiss before he leaned back on the couch, reaching between them, beneath her dress, to rub her clit while she rode him. He let her go as slow or fast as she wanted, just sacrificing himself to her, to whatever she wanted.

 

He gave, so she took. She scratched her nails down his back, drew blood, and still he gave. She bit down on his shoulder when she came, the second time? Third? She lost count. But Finn did nothing else, just let her have whatever of him she wanted, whatever she’d take, like it forged something between them. Maybe they weren’t two people who exchanged flowers and sweet nothings, but they both drowned in each other, in a shared insanity.

 

Sometime later, they ended up in the bed, though she hardly remembered how they’d reached it. He slept behind her, arm wrapped around her, fingers almost bruising in their grip on her hip, like he expected her to slip away.

 

But, she knew she wasn’t going anywhere. If she hadn’t in all this time, she wasn’t going to go anywhere. This thing would either work, or it would kill her.

 

Sometimes she wondered if she cared actually which of those happened.

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

 

Mac knew. Even if he’d said nothing about Finn, the way he stormed around all day said he knew where she’d spent the night. He’d lacked his normal snark, using passive aggressive silence in its place.

 

She’d spent the day reviewing plans and making face time for requests from the raider bosses. She needed them to think she was working for them, keep them happy. Nisha had asked about Mac, like he was a puppy she’d like to come play again. Mac had stayed outside for that meeting, and she couldn’t really blame him for that. Mags and William had been easy. They’d snuck in an upper window and places the explosives upstairs.

 

Everything was set. They were as ready as they’d ever be, so Mac had turned in for the night, and Nora was supposed to do the same.

 

Instead, she sat up. She stared out, over Nuka World, watched the people running, knowing they were going to kill them all.

 

The lift rattled to life, and Nora knew who it was, who it had to be. Not many people came to visit her.

 

She expected him to walk up, to kiss her, to let her taste whatever it was between them.

 

What she didn’t expect was for one of the explosives she’d set to sail past her and hit the wall, shattering into a million pieces.

 

“How many of these fucking things did you set?”

 

Nora looked at the pieces, then back and Finn, trying to keep her face passive. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

He advanced on her until he stood just in front of her. “This is what you were up to that night, wasn’t it? Found this near the Pack territory, behind a bush. How many did you set, because we need to get them the fuck out of here before someone finds them. You really don’t think that someone will look straight at you when they do? That they won’t know it was you? A couple mines ain’t gonna do shit but get you killed.”

 

Nora shoved him. “Fuck you, Finn. I can take care of myself. I don’t need you saving me.”

 

“Obviously you do, since you make dumb fucking choices. You listening to Mackenzie’s stupid plan? Because, in case you’ve forgotten, she got herself killed over that. You looking to join her or something?”

 

Nora turned around and started to pace, feet crunching over the pieces of the explosive. At least he’d disarmed the damned thing. “You don’t understand. I’m not going to stand by and watch more people die!”

 

“No, you’re just going to get yourself killed. Fuck, Nora, I ain’t going to stand by and watch you get yourself killed. I didn’t wait five damned years just to watch you do it.”

 

“Then close your eyes, because if you haven’t figured it out by now, you can’t control me. I’m going to do what I’m going to do.”

 

Finn move, fast, but Nora didn’t flinch. She did trust him, or maybe she just didn’t care what he did. He shoved her onto the bed, face down, then crawled on top of her.

 

He leaned in to speak into her ear, voice quiet but rough with fury, his chest rumbling against her. “Really? Because I’ll tie your ass down somewhere if that’s what it takes. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and keep you from doing something this fucking stupid and dangerous.”

 

Nora closed her eyes at the heat of him, the way it warmed her. She pushed up against him. “Is the yelling just a game? Is this what you’re really here for? Because you didn’t need to pretend, Finn. You could have just showed up and told me to strip. You and I are past these games. I don't turn you down anymore.”

 

“This isn’t about that. Believe it or not, I don’t want you safe just because I want to fuck you. I actually care if you’re breathing or not, even if you don’t seem to care. Tell me you’re going to stop this.” He leaned up and off her, dragging his hand over his face like he couldn’t focus.

 

Nora rolled over to sit beside him. “You keep asking me to trust you. When will you trust me? You don’t tell me anything but you keep trying to order me around.”

 

“Let’s look at your history, shall we? You almost got killed by Bobbi, then radiation poisoning got you in the Glowing Sea, then you almost got blown up by a suicider outside the Goodneighbor gates.”

 

“But none of those things got me, did they?”

 

“Not done yet, sweetheart. Then you apparently attack the Institute and the Brotherhood. You follow some fucking slave here even when you know it’s a trap and run our Gauntlet and nearly get your brains splattered by Colter. You get yourself attacked by men in an alley and nearly jumped by another group of raiders. Fuck, you get it yet? I keep almost losing you. You might manage to have lived through this shit, somehow, but everyone’s luck runs out eventually. I don’t want to see yours run out.”

 

“I’m not alive because I’m lucky, I’m alive because I’m good, because I’m tough, and because I’m vicious when I have to be. I’m alive because I’m a hell of a lot more like you than you want to admit.”

 

Finn reached out and pressed his fingers against her chest, where the minigun scars were, even though he couldn’t see them through her shirt. “These almost ended you. Hell, any of those scars could have ended you. You got any idea what that would do to me?”

 

Nora released a soft laugh. “We aren’t the type to mourn each other. Don’t make us something we aren’t.”

 

“Then you don’t fucking pay attention because losing you would kill me.” He wrapped his hand in her hair and yanked her into a hard kiss, one that was more teeth than finesse, more punishment than desire. His hand stayed in a hard grip, holding her still for his onslaught.

 

Not that Nora had any desire to pull away. Maybe she was as stupid as he claimed, but fuck, she wanted everything he’d give her.

 

He broke the kiss, breath coming out in a hard pant against her lips when he didn’t pull away. “Tell me you’ll stop. You want to save the slaves? You want to take out the park? We’ll do it together. There are other ways to go about it.”

 

“No. I’m doing this my way. I’m not waiting anymore, I can’t.”

 

“You’re going to get yourself killed.” His fingers tightened until she winced. “Make one good fucking decision, will you? Tell me to leave. Show an ounce of self-preservation and tell me to leave right now.”

 

“Stop thinking you know what’s best for me. You did it when you left and you’re doing it again. If this is a mistake, it’s mine. Let me make it.”

 

“You’re not gonna listen to me, are you?”

 

“About what? The raiders or letting you fuck me?”

 

“Either.”

 

“Nope, not planning on listening.”

 

Finn used his grip to tilt her head back, exposing her throat. He leaning in and bit down on the side, over her pulse.

 

Nora gasped at the pain, her back arching to push her against him more. “Fuck.”

 

Finn pulled back to look into her eyes. “I’m not gonna let you get yourself killed sweetheart. I promise you that.”

 

“Just try and stop me.”

 

“Trust me, I will.”

 

“Looking forward to it. Now that that’s out of the way, are you going to get to this?” She drug her nails down his chest, through his shirt.

 

He pushed her onto her back, rough. “You always get what you want, don’t you?”

 

“No. If I did, you wouldn’t have ever left me in the first place. I wouldn’t have spent five years by myself.”

 

He stilled above her, eyebrows drawing together. His forehead pressed against hers, eyes sliding closed, while he took a deep breath. “You think we can call another truce?”

 

“What a pair are we that we need to call truces all the time.”

 

“A fucking bad pair, that’s what. I just want to love you for a while. What do you think about that?”

 

Nora lifted her head, brushing the against his. “Yeah. Sounds good. We’ll fight again tomorrow.”

 

“Count on it, sweetheart.”

 

Finn didn’t stay the night. After they were done, he held her for almost an hour, hand rubbing against her side like he was trying to memorize it. Then he kissed her once more and slid out of bed.

 

He reached the lift and looked over his shoulder at her. “You know, no matter the bullshit we put each other through, I love ya. I want you to remember that, no matter what happens between us, that I do love ya.” He didn’t wait for a response before he stepped onto the lift.

 

It felt five years before, when he’d kissed her before walking out on her.

 

It felt like a goodbye.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Nora was woken by someone banging around in her room. She thought about just shooting whoever it was, since she’d never cared for being woken early, but then there would be a mess to deal with. She cracked one eye to find Mac slamming drawers shut.

 

Nora yawned. “What are you doing?”

 

“Leaving.”

 

She frowned, pulling herself upright. “What? Where are we going?”

 

“I have to get back to Sanctuary. Now. Like, right now.” His voice held panic, as if she couldn’t tell by the way he crammed ammo into his backpack. Mac didn’t panic; it was one of her favorite parts about him.

 

Nora got out of the bed and walked over. She grabbed Mac’s arm to calm him. “What’s wrong? Hey, Mac, take a breath and talk to me, will you?”

 

He threw her arm off. “A minuteman just left. He came to give me a message. Duncan was shot.”

 

Nora’s blood froze, then boiled. She’d always had a temper, especially when it came to those she loved. “Fuck. Is he okay? What happened?” She didn’t bother to slow down, dragging on her clothing and packing like he was. The only thing in her head was that sweet kid hurt, the idea that someone had dared to hurt him. Heads would roll for that.

 

“He’s alive. Hurt, but he’ll live. I don’t know what happened exactly. I know Curie is okay; she’s watching him, but I’ve got to get back. I’ve got to get to him.”

 

“We’ve got to get back. We’re in this together, Mac, we always are.”

 

Mac turned a glare on her, face nothing but anger and fear. It reminded her of a mutt backed into a corner, lashing out. “No, we aren’t. I thought we were in things together, thought we were friends, until you decided to start lying to me about Finn. You think I don’t know where you’ve been? You think I didn’t see that bottlecap, that I don’t see the mine all over the floor here? You’ve been lying to me since we got here about him, so why is it you think we’re in anything together?”

 

Nora took one step backward at his outburst. He wasn’t one to lose his temper. Then, when his words sunk in, she shoved him. “You idiot. We’re not friends, we’re fucking family. It means we piss each other off, but we don’t abandon each other. Duncan’s hurt? Fuck this place, fuck our plans here, I’m going with you and I’m going to end whoever dared to hurt him. He may be your son, but he’s mine, too. He’s part of my family just like you.”

 

Mac rubbed his hands over his face. “I was out here with you when I should have been keeping him safe.”

 

And wasn’t that the point? Wasn’t that what she’d been afraid of? She needed to let Mac go after this, she needed to send him on home. He needed to be with his family, his real family, not out fighting raiders with her. He deserved a real life, one with Curie, one with Duncan.

 

“Come on. Let’s get out asses back to Sanctuary. We’ll check in on him, then we’ll raise hell with whoever decided to fuck with our family, okay?”

 

Mac took a shuddering breath but nodded. “Yeah, all right. Let’s go.”

 

Before they left, Nora let Mason know she was headed out, that she would be back in a few days with any luck, maybe a week. He’d agreed to keep an eye on things. Not that she trusted him much. Gage also knew, made the same promise. But, hell, right then she didn’t care if they tore one another apart while she was gone.

 

Finn was nowhere to be found, not that she’d tried very hard to find him. He’d probably just be relieved to have her out of the park for a while, to not have to argue about her plans, about his plans. Gage would let him know when he saw him.

 

The tram took forever, and the park looked different as they left. Maybe it was because it had become something of a home to her, a place familiar even in its brutality.

 

The tram pulled into the dark station, jerking to a stop hard enough she had to grab one of the support poles to stay upright. Damn, had it really been so long since she’d been back here? The first time was when she’d seen Harvey, lying and terrible at it, laying with a fake wound.

 

And she’d gone anyway, knowing it was a trap, knowing what was waiting for her. She’d drug MacCready with her and she’d gone because she wanted something, something that was missing, something that had been missing since Finn had left her.

 

Fuck, he could hollow her out, couldn’t he?

 

“Thank you,” Mac said, voice soft. “For coming with me. You never had to save Duncan in the first place, and I know I can be difficult, and arrogant, and a lot of other words I’m not supposed to say, but thank you. I’ve never had anyone willing to look out for me before, never had anyone willing to stick their neck out for me.”

 

Nora smiled and threw her arm around his waist, trying to reassure him that nothing would come between them. They could shoot each other, and had, but nothing would pull them apart. “I told you, we’re family. I know whatever Finn and I have is weird, and that’s why I lied to you about it. Because I know you don’t agree, and I didn’t want to see you disappointed in me, see you worrying. It was wrong to lie, but that’s why I did it. But, whatever is between him and I, that doesn’t change you and I. You ever need me, Duncan ever needs me, there’s nothing that’ll stop me from being there.”

 

“I know. I’m sorry for what I said about Finn, about you. You’re right, I don’t get it, I still think you're an idiot, but I shouldn’t have been such a jerk about it. You’ve never let me down, so I should trust you, stand by you. Even if I think you’re an idiot, if you love him, guess that makes him family, too. Family I might shoot, but still family.”

 

The door to the tram slid open, and a man stood there. A man who was supposed to be dead. Someone Nora had mourned. 

 

“Hey, Overboss.” Harvey offered a shy wave.


	21. Chapter 21

 

“You look significantly less dead than the last time I saw you,” Mac said, crossing his arms.

 

“Yeah, about that.” Harvey rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, where he was notably without a collar. “Sorry, Overboss, if I worried you. I wanted to tell you, I did, but Finn said I couldn’t. He said it would only put you in danger, and after everything you’ve done for me, I didn’t want that. I couldn’t let you put yourself out anymore for me than you already have.”

 

Nora took one deep breath. “Duncan’s fine, isn’t he? He was never shot.”

 

“Oh, yeah, he’s just fine. He wasn’t hurt, we had the message planted. Sorry about worrying you. Well, I’m sorry, Finn said he hated MacCready so he wasn’t sorry and thought you deserved it.”

 

Mac groaned. “I’m going to kill him, Nora. Just so you know, so no one is surprised, I’m going to kill him.”

 

Okay. At least Duncan was okay. That was the most important thing. Sure, it opened a hell of a lot of questions, but at least she knew there was no chance they were going to lose Duncan. She’d had this reoccurring image in her head of Duncan dying on the way back home. If they lost Duncan, she’d lose Mac. He’d never survive losing his son, and she couldn’t blame him for that.

 

Nora set a hand up to silence Mac’s bitching before looking at Harvey. “Explain, Harvey. Because I’m really confused, and when I get confused I tend to shoot thing. Radroaches, mailboxes, people.”

 

Harvey’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “Look, Finn’s been smuggling slaves out for over a year. Mackenzie is safe, too.”

 

Nora nodded, scrubbing her palms against her eyes. Everything snapped into place. “The bodies. That’s why the collars were activated, so no one would know it wasn’t the slaves. That’s what he had to do with it. Great. I got it. Now I’m going to go kick his ass. He’s only a short fifteen-minute tram ride from having his ass handed to him.” Nora moved back onto the tram and slammed her fist down on the button.

 

Nothing happened.

 

Nora kicked the console. “Why the fuck isn’t this thing moving? Harvey! Get this fucking thing going.”

 

Harvey poked his head in through the door. “It’s locked down. He set it up to lock up when it arrived, and asked me to be here to explain it.”

 

“So unlock it. Come on, get it moving.”

 

“I would, which is probably exactly why he didn’t give me the password, so I couldn’t.”

 

“Then I’ll walk my ass back! He better enjoy his one day break, because when I get there, he’s going to pay for pulling this shit.”

 

Harvey leaned against the door of the tram. “The thing is, he said not to come back. That’s why I’m here, to make sure you understand this. I tried to talk him out of it, but, well, you know him. He doesn’t listen. By the time you made it back, it’ll be over.”

 

Nora stilled at those words, at the way Harvey had spoken, the finality there. “Over? What do you mean over?” Her knees felt weak and she grasped the back of a seat to stay upright. “What is going to be over?”

 

“There wasn’t any time to finish his plan, so he’s taking over yours. He’s going to attack the raiders. If you walked, by the time you’d make it back, he’ll either have cleared the park or he’ll be dead. One way or another, it’ll all be over.”

 

Fuck. And there went her knees the rest of the way. She sunk down to the ground, hitting it hard, her teeth clattering together. She could draw air in, couldn’t breathe.

 

Finn was one man. She’d had a plan, a plan that had included Mac taking point and a hell of a lot of explosive, something he didn’t have. He had nothing but himself and his fucking attitude, and she doubted that would do anything

 

Mac leaned down in front of her, but she didn’t see him, couldn’t see anything. He was talking but she couldn’t hear it, either. All she could see was Finn, dying, bleeding out alone.

 

Her arm stung, and she looked down at it, frowning. “Did you just pinch me, Mac?”

 

“Yeah I did. You back with me now?”

 

“I can’t lose him. I didn’t realize how much I needed him, but I do. I told him we weren’t the type to mourn each other, but fuck, I need him, I really do. What am I going to do?” Nora stared into Mac’s eyes like he’d figure this out, like he could fix it.

 

Mac grinned. “You know, I’ve never been the one in charge. I think I like this.”

 

“Don’t make jokes.”

 

“Okay, Boss, I’ll have some pity on you. Heartbroken isn’t a good look for you. We’re going to go and we’re going to rescue that asshole you decided you love, even though I personally think we should shoot him.”

 

“We won’t make it back in time.”

 

Mac reached into his pack and pulled a vertibird signal out. “I think maybe we ought to use the toys we have. We’ll be back in thirty minutes, tops. Even Finn can’t get himself into too much trouble in that amount of time.”

 

Nora took it, pulling herself to her feet. “You’d go with me? After everything, you’d come with me and help me? Even though you hate him? Why?”

 

Mac shrugged. “It’s like you said, we’re family. You were going to drop everything for Duncan, and for whatever reason, you picked Finn, which makes him family. So, come on. Get your head in the game and let’s go save him so you can kick his ass. And I will shoot him?”

 

“No shooting him.”

 

“And I will not shoot him. Fine, whatever, let’s go.”

 

The raiders were in trouble, but hell, Finn was in more trouble. It didn't matter if she had to shoot him herself, they were going to finally fucking talk. 

 


	22. Chapter 22

Dead bodies covered the ground, meaning Finn had been busy. She had to admit to being impressed. She’d never really seen what Finn was capable of. He’d shot Bobbi for her, and she knew he’d killed a courser, but she’d never fought beside him, never seen the sort of destruction he’d leave in his wake. All she’d known was the space others gave him, the way they stepped down telling her they knew something she didn’t.

 

The bodies that she spotted? Yeah, they told her those people had the right idea.

 

The vertibird had dropped them outside the gates, but Nora had one stop to make before chasing down Finn. She had one play left on the field, and she hoped she’d read people well enough to play it.

 

Someone rushed her from around a corner, a Disciple raider with a blade already lifted. Nora jerked backward, but the raider didn’t get close. A bullet sailed through his face and he collapsed in a heap by her feet.

 

Nora gave a wave toward Mac, who returned middle finger at her. It was his way of telling her to pay attention. Right, she needed to keep her head about her. This was it, the end game. No distractions.

 

Mac would keep to the high ground, where he could use his sniping skills to the best use. He avoided fighting in the fray, telling Nora once that it was because he didn’t like being shot. Hell, she’d been shot enough to understand that. It worked well because he could warn her, take out targets before she could even see them, and help funnel enemies for her. Truth was, they worked well as a team.

 

Nora pulled her pistol and continued toward the Pack territory.

 

Inside, she found no bodies, no blood, no sign of the chaos going on outside. Had Finn skipped this park or had he just not gotten there yet?

 

“Well, kitten. Looks like your lover boy wanted to show his teeth. Didn’t figure the boy had it in him.” Mason stood from his throne on the stage. He had his rifle in his hands already, but he didn’t lift it, didn’t make any threatening moves toward her. Hell, he didn’t look all that bothered by the fighting happening just outside his territory. Leave it to Mason to thrive in this chaos. “Didn’t really think any of you had it in you.”

 

A bullet struck the ground by Mason’s foot, spraying dirt up, causing him to halt.

 

He cast his gaze up, searching, but wouldn’t be able to spot the shooter. Mac was too good. Hell, Nora wouldn’t even be able to find him if he wanted to hide from her. Only one person could hold their own against him and that was Deacon. “I’m gonna guess that’s the skinny pup who follows you around?”

 

“Yeah, and he’ll end you if you give him a reason to. He doesn’t like you as much as I do, so I suggest you don’t move too fast.”

 

Mason slid the rifle over his back, slowly, hands up. “You’ve got my attention. So, what did you want, kitten?”

 

“I think a better question is what do you want, Mason? Because we’re at a crossroads here, and I don’t actually want to kill you. I will, but I don’t want to. For some weird reason, I actually like you, so help me out here. What do you want? We could work together.”

 

“You think you have some sharp claws, don't you? You think you could take me on, the Pack on? You know I like you, that I think you’re pretty damn special, but why would I ever pick you over the raiders here? You got, what, three people? We have a park full of cold blooded killers, so why would I bet on you?”

 

“Because I’m better than they are.” Nora lifted her arm and pressed a button on her pipboy. An explosion from outside the gates shook the ground. “Because I am two steps ahead of everyone else here.” Another button, another explosion. “Because I look really good in that red dress? No, that’s not it. What was that last one?” Nora tapped her finger against her bottom lip. “Right, I remember.” A button blew the gates off the Pack territory, raining debris and splinters down on all of them.

 

Mason narrowed his eyes before breaking into a grin. “You make some good points, kitten. I’m guessing what you want is for the Pack to switch sides? Finn took out some of my men, but I got enough to be useful still. You wanting us to help you finish off the other gangs?”

 

“All the slaves go free, you help me clear the rest of this park, and we can work together. I won’t blow all the explosives I planted in your territory, and I planted enough to level the whole place.”

 

He paused, eyes darting away as if thinking. “Dinner? You were planting them when you were busy distracting me in that dress, weren’t you?”

 

“Oh, yeah. I’m not a dress girl. You see me in a dress, you should be very suspicious.”

 

“Now I’m even angrier I didn’t get to fuck you. I have a rule, no one gets to plant explosives in my room unless I get to stick my dick in them.” Even as he spoke, his lips had tilted up, telling her he was more charmed than angered by being outmaneuvered.

 

“I’ll remember that rule for the next time. What do you say to my plan?”

 

“All right, I’ll play your game. Remember, though, that if you ever get tired of Finn, I’ll take over in a heartbeat. You’re pretty fucking amazing. I’ll send my boys out and tell ‘em where to aim, kitten. I sure do hope you live through this.”

 

Yeah, so did she.

 

The Pack didn’t argue, probably because Mason kept them on a tight leash. It reminded her of the raider who had mouthed off to her, and the swift retribution he’d suffered. See that a few times and people weren’t likely to challenge him. They swarmed out of the pack territory like a plague, and she almost pitied anything that got in their way.

 

Finding Finn wasn’t that hard. Mac located him, then guided Nora with that damn laser point. It was harder during the day, the light making the red dot harder to follow, but the gunfire helped guide her.

 

Around the corner, outside of the Fizztop Grille, Nora laid eyes on him, alive though bleeding.

 

Finally.

 

He took cover behind a corner of the building, darting out to land shots, then sliding out of the way. His leather armor caught the sun, as did the sweat and blood wiped across his cheek. He’d done well, but no one could clear what he had without some damage. Still, he was alive. She wasn’t too late, it wasn’t over.

 

Finn shifted his gaze over, catching sight of her. And didn’t all the annoyance that strolled across his face make her smile? He pointed a finger at her, like he was scolding her.

 

She guessed this counted as a conversation, and she knew exactly what she wanted to say back.

 

Nora lifted her rifle and fired a bullet into ground beside his foot.

 

Well, communication was a learned skill, right?

 


	23. Chapter 23

 

Nora rushed over to the opposite corner, diving behind it to avoid any stray bullets.

 

“You shot at me. Real mature, sweetheart.”

 

“A bullet’s worth a thousand words.”

 

“Not how that saying goes.”

 

Between their discussion, they both would twist around the corner to shoot or toss a grenade. Mac’s rifle fired at even intervals, the same slow method he always used.

 

“All right, talk.”

 

Finn looked over at Nora like she was insane. “Talk? We’re a little busy right now.”

 

“Look, this all went to hell because we wouldn’t just fucking talk to each other!”

 

“Now is not the best time.”

 

“We are attacking a theme park full of raiders. Now is very possibly the only time we have.” Nora lifted her pipboy up and pressed another button, blowing the explosives down the road.

 

It silenced the fighting for a moment.

 

“Come on, Finn. We’ve both fucked up a lot, and we’re here because we wouldn’t just lay shit out. So, talk to me, for once, because we may not walk out of this.”

 

Finn laughed, shaking his head. “How’d you get back here?”

 

“If we ever talked, you’d know I have a vertibird at my disposal.”

 

“Shoulda’ known you weren’t just a pretty face. Why don’t you jump back on that vertibird and go back, huh?”

 

“You know that isn’t happening. So just talk to me.”

 

“Leave it to us to have all our serious conversations at the worst times. Last time was when you were handcuffed to a bed, and now in the middle of bullets.” As he spoke, a bullet struck the concrete of the building behind them. Right on schedule.

 

Well, it was Nora’s turn to jump off the cliff. “I didn’t tell you about my plan because I didn’t know if I could trust you. I figured you’d either try to stop me because you were worried about me, or because you’d sided with them. Either way, I couldn’t tell you.”

 

He released a soft laugh, then shook his head. “I’ve been working at smuggling out slaves for over a year. I was trying to get the gangs to turn on each other, and getting slaves out of the way increased tension. They were ready to tear each other apart, but then you put Colter down and put that all on pause. Mackenzie and Harvey got themselves into trouble and needed to disappear.”

 

“And why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Because I knew you’d get yourself into trouble. I wanted you to leave, sweetheart. I wanted you out of danger. I wanted to finish this and finally feel like I could come back to you, like I’d done something good enough to earn ya.”

 

A raider charged through the space between them, and Nora raised her pistol and fired at him. “We are having a conversation!” She looked back over at Finn. “You really wanted to come back?”

 

“Fuck, I wanted to come back as soon as I left. I just needed to become better first.”

 

“But I never wanted you better. You never listen to me. I don’t need better, I need you.”

 

Finn pulled a pin from a grenade and tossed it toward the Disciples place. “Yeah, and that’s part of the problem, always has been. You never realized how much more you deserved. You accepted me when you shouldn’t have, you forgave me for everything I did, you kept coming back to me even though you should have run the other way as fast as you could.”

 

“And you’ve always put me on a fucking pedestal. You think you know what I need and what I deserve but you never just pay attention. I’m more like you than you want to admit, and I know exactly what I want.”

 

“And what’s that?”

 

“You fucking idiot, I want you!” Nora shot the wall beside Finn.

 

“Would you stop shooting at me? That isn’t a sign of a healthy relationship, you know. Normal people don’t shoot at each other.”

 

“Yeah, but we’re not normal, and that’s okay. You said maybe we’re the only ones who could survive each other, and I think you’ve got something there. We’re never going to be other people, but I don’t care. We’re broken and fucked up and dangerous, but there is nothing that can get in our way. Nothing that can get between us.”

 

“Are you sweet talking me?” He had his back against the wall and smiled at her, face covered in sweat and blood, but fuck she’d seen nothing better.

 

“Yeah, I am. Is it working?”

 

“Fuck, you know I can’t say no to you.” He took a deep breath. “So, what do you want? How do you see this going, assuming we live through this, and that’s a pretty big fucking if?”

 

“As long as I have you? Fuck, I don’t care about the details.”

 

He nodded like it had bee decided and pushed away from the wall. “Alright, let’s finish this then, yeah?”

 

“Yeah. They’re going to regret fucking with us.”

 

“Let’s show ‘em their mistake, sweetheart.”

 

#

 

Nora sighed as she checked the bandage her leg. It would heal, though it would take time. Then again, you didn’t take a park like they did without shedding some blood.

 

Well, everyone except Mac. Since he’d stayed above, he’d avoided any real damage. The rest of them? They had their bumps and bruises to show for the ordeal.

 

“You hungry, boss?” Mac walked in, plate of food in his hand.

 

“Yeah, starving.”

 

“Well, I suggest you head out to get something to eat then, because with the speed in which you limp, it’s going to take you a while.” Mac grinned and took a bite of his food.

 

Mason walked past him, snatching the plate from his hands and handing it to Nora. “Here ya’ go, kitten.”

 

Nora stuck her tongue out at Mac before taking a bite. “You know you’re screwing up when the raider boss is nicer than you are.”

 

“Only because he’s still trying to sleep with you.”

 

Mason sat on the couch beside Nora, sliding his arm over her shoulders. “That is true.”

 

Nora chuckled and elbowed Mason. He’d turned into a friend, as strange a thought as it was. The pack had done exactly as he’d claimed, and it had been the edge they’d needed. With the extra men, taking the other gangs had been easy. Sure, he flirted, but he seemed to know the line.

 

“Can you give us a minute, Mason? I need to talk to Mac.”

 

“Sure, kitten, I got shit to do anyway. I’ll check in later.” Mason pressed a kiss to her check then strolled out.

 

Once they were alone, Nora took a deep breath and said what she needed to say, fast, trying to get it over with. “You need to head home, Mac.”

 

“You’ve got a few days before you’re ready to travel.”

 

“Not me. Just you.” She raised her hand when he wanted to argue. “Duncan needs you. Curie needs you. We’re always going to be family, but you also have a real family back in Sanctuary, and they need you. Trust me, I lost my family, I know what that feels like. I don’t want them to lose you, and even if we survive everything we do, they’re losing out on time with you. Duncan will be grown before you know it, and I can’t have you missing that just because you’re following me around out here.”

 

Mac didn’t say anything right away. After a moment, he sighed. “I knew this was coming. I can’t leave you alone, though. I can’t let you stay out here alone.”

 

“That’s the thing, I’m not alone. I’ve got Finn, and I’ve got Mason, and if I ever need anything, you know you’re the first one I’m gonna contact. But, this is where I need to be right now, and you need to be with Curie and Duncan. Now, come here, and give me a hug, then get your ass out of here. Take the vertibird back so I don’t have to worry the whole time.”

 

Mac walked over and pulled her into a hug. She ignored the way it made her leg ache, and hugged him back. For a moment, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

 

He’d been her best friend for years, the snark that was always right behind her, the person to pull her out of the stupid shit she got herself caught up in. He’d been the one person in the whole world she could trust without reservation.

 

Finn walked in, and Nora could breathe again.

 

She wasn’t alone; she had Finn. Finn, who had, like a fool, tried to take on all the raiders just to keep her safe. She’d be okay.

 

“You heading out, Mac?”

 

Mac released Nora and took a step back. “Yeah. I’m only a vertibird flight away, though, so watch yourself.”

 

Finn laughed and stuck his hand out. “I hear you, but I think we both know if I do something wrong, I’m more afraid of her than I am of you. But, look, you ain’t gotta be a stranger. Much as we hate each other, we’re sorta family now. Maybe head on out with the baggage, huh? Come visit.”

 

“Right, because a raider park is where I want Duncan at.”

 

“Hey, he’ll love it, it’s a themepark.”  

 

Mac rolled his eyes but shook Finn’s hand, like they’d come to an arrangement. He went fast, because neither of them were that good at goodbyes. They weren’t the sappy type to cry and obsess.

 

“You okay?” Finn pressed a kiss to her cheek.

 

“Yeah. It’s just weird, I haven’t been on my own in a really long time.”

 

Nora yelped when something stung, and she realized he’d swatted her ass.

 

“You ain’t alone, sweetheart.”

 

She laughed when he mirrored her own thoughts. “What were you up to outside?”

 

He shrugged, the way he did when something was important but he didn’t want to admit it. “Just fixing up the place. You want to see?”

 

Nora followed him outside, allowing him to take some of her weight as she limped. When she saw what he’d done, she laughed softly.

 

“Well, I figured, we ain’t never going to have one unless we did it ourselves. Finally realized only thing stopping us was, well, us. Do you like it?” That spark of uncertainty always charmed her, the way he’d hesitated, worried he’d read her wrong.

 

Nora grinned and wrapped an arm around his waist, drawing closer to him, to the strange man she’d fallen for when there was really no reason or sense to it. “Yeah, I love it.”

 

Maybe they weren’t perfect; maybe they were fucked up and broken, but they fit. Somehow, all those sharp edges they had that would tear apart other people fit together, like they’d been broken at the same seams.

 

Nora smiled and rested her head against him as she looked at his house -now their house- and the little white picket fence he’d put in around it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!


End file.
